§ 38. Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of repairs, re-equipment and new furnishings of the Palace of Westminster carried out during the Summer Adjournment, including the cost of new duplicators, kitchen equipment, and so on.
§ Sir George Young:Repair work in the Palace of Westminster and associated outbuildings, which includes work on the restoration of the exterior stonework of the Palace, the ceiling to the Chamber of the House of Lords and modernisation of part of the heating system is part of a rolling programme. The cost of the work carried out during the recess cannot be separately identified. Bills paid during August and September for work already completed amounted to £1,501,453.
For re-equipment and new furnishings, I refer to my answer of 21 October to the hon. Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer).
My Department is not responsible for the purchase of new duplicators for use in the Palace of Westminster.
§ Mr. Grimondasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the cost of heating the Palace of Westminster in the last completed year of the account; and what savings in fuel the recent alterations are expected to achieve.
§ Sir George Young:In 1981–82, expenditure on fuel for all purposes was £568,197. It is not possible to identify the amount which related solely to heating. The recent alterations undertaken in the Summer Recess are expected to contribute a further 1 per cent. to an eventual saving of 20 per cent. in fuel consumption.