§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make arrangements for the large number of manually wound clocks in the Palace of Westminster to be replaced by satellite clocks linked with a master regulator clock in the building.
§ Sir George YoungMost of the 1,200 or so clocks in the Palace of Westminster are operated by battery or by an impulse system. 281 clocks are wound manually; almost all of these are either part of the original furniture and equipment designed for the building by Pugin, or have some historical significance. I do not intend, therefore, to arrange for their replacement.