§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the annual expenditure during each of the past five years on the Palace of Westminster on (a) the external fabric, (b) interior decorations and repair, (c) overhaul of the heating/cooling system and (d) modernisation of the kitchens.
§ Sir George YoungAnnual expenditure figures for stone restoration, heating/cooling systems for the Palace of Westminster are as set out below:
£000s Stone restoration New heating system New cooling system 1978–79 — 358 — 1979–80 — 720 — 1980–81 — 243 — 1981–82 242 226 311 1982–83 780 354 1,234 There have been no major redecoration or kitchen modernisation schemes during the past five years and expenditure on minor maintenance works is not recorded separately. Expenditure records, with the exception of major schemes, relate to the parliamentary estate as a whole including the Norman Shaw buildings, St. Stephen's house, etc. and the information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the value and volume of fuel used in the Palace of Westminster on an annual basis (a) oil, (b) natural gas and (c) electricity.
§ Sir George YoungIn the 1982–83 expenditure on fuel for the parliamentary estate as a whole was:
£ Oil 81,119 Natural gas 305,640 Electricity 382,410 It is not possible to separately identify within these figures the amounts which relate specifically to the Palace of Westminster. Details of the volumes used will take a little time to compile; I shall write to my hon. Friend.