§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the total cost to the Government of renting office accommodation per annum; and whether he will seek to establish a State corporation to assess the Government's future requirements and develop for their own use accordingly.
§ Mr. PrenticeRental payments by my Ministry will amount to about £172W million in the current financial year. I do not consider that a State corporation would represent any improvement on the present arrangements.
§ Mr. Rowlandsasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what is the total cost per annum to the Government of renting office accommodation in London; what is the cost per square foot to the Government of renting office accommodation in London; and how this compares with the cost per square foot in the provinces.
§ Mr. PrenticeFor the current year the rents paid by my Ministry in London amount to about £12 million. The average rent per square foot for accommodation now held on leases taken at various times over recent years is about 20s. in London and 7s. 6d. in the provinces. For new leases figures are mostly within 40s.–70s. in central London 20s.–35s. in outer London, and 12s–20s. in the provinces.