§ Sir N. Cooper-Keyasked the Minister of Public Building and Works how many times during the present reign have pits been dug in Parliament Square and The Mall to hold flag poles for ceremonial occasions; what has been the cost of these excavations; and whether he will devise a more permanent, up-to-date, yet aesthetically acceptable, method of holding these posts.
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§ Mr. PrenticeNo pits have been dug during the present reign. The flag poles are inserted in permanent sockets which, when not in use, are capped by concrete slabs. For aesthetic reasons, the slabs are covered by soil and turf in Parliament Square and by hoggin in The Mall.