Public Buildings (Cleaning)

HC Deb 17 January 1972 vol 829 cc56-7W

Mr. Biggs-Davison

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his future programme for the cleaning of public buildings in London.

Mr. Amery

The cleaning of the main Government office buildings overlooking Whitehall, Parliament Street, King Charles Street, Downing Street and Parliament Square, including the elevations on to St. James's Park and Horse Guards Parade, the side elevations of the old War Office, Metropole Building and further work at Somerset House will be completed by the end of 1972. During the following 18 months work in progress on Buckingham Palace and the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and the remaining elevation of the old War Office should also have been completed and I intend to clean the Royal Courts of Justice, the Imperial War Museum and the Tate Gallery. A feasibility study on the possible cleaning of the Palace of Westminster has been carried out and the report is being considered. Other buildings to be considered later include the British Museum and the Natural History and Victoria and Albert Museums.