§ Mr. Steenasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) further to his answer of 25 June, Official Report, column 238, concerning works at Lower Leigh, Churchstow, Kingsbridge, Devon, what is the current establishment of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission's own specialist work force;
(2) if he will now put out to tender the remaining work which needs to be undertaken at Lower Leigh, Churchstow, Kingsbridge, Devon;
(3) if the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission will take steps to accelerate the completion of restoration of Lower Leigh, Churchstow, Kingsbridge, by seeking to contract out the remainder of the work to private contractors; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if, pursuant to the answer of 25 June, Official Report, columns 237–38, he will state why the remaining works on Lower Leigh, Churchstow, are scheduled to take until 1990; and if he will indicate separately the implications for the timescale of (a) availability of funds and (b) availability of specialist skills, respectively.
§ Mr. TraceyThe Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission currently employs some 500 craftsmen, labourers and apprentices. Decisions on their deployment among some 400 monuments in the commission's care, the use of private contractors and the priority to be attached to particular repair programmes are all matters for the commission.