§ Mr. Robert Cookeasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received the report of the assessors of the architectural competition for the new parliamentary building; and what arrangements he is making for the announcement of results and for the display of winning entries.
§ Mr. AmeryI have in the last few days received the Report of the Assessors under the chairmanship of Sir Robert Matthew. The proposed Parliamentary408W Building is one of exceptional importance and I intend that all the designs which reached the final stage should be presented for the inspection of Parliament and the public. The material prepared for the purpose of the competition itself was of a specialist character composed of architectural drawings and small balsawood models. Sir Robert Matthew, his colleagues and I all felt that this material would not give Members and the public a sufficiently clear idea of the schemes. I am, therefore, arranging urgently for further material in relation to these final-stage designs to be prepared. As soon as this material is ready, I will publish the Report of the Assessors, together with the names of the prize-winners they have selected, and will arrange an exhibition of all final-stage designs. I take this opportunity of thanking the Assessors on behalf of the House for the thoroughness and expertise which they brought to bear on what must have been a very difficult task, covering as it did a total of 246 entries. Finally, I express the sympathy of the House on the death of one of their members, Mr. Robin Boyd of Australia.