§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what has been the cost to date of the scaffolding provided for the work on his Department's offices in Marsham street; what is the expected total cost; what tendering procedures applied to the contract for the supply of scaffolding; who was the successful tenderer; and if he will make a statement; [27053]
(2) when he expects work to be completed on his Department's offices in Marsham street; and if he will make a statement; [27055]
(3) if he will give an annual breakdown of costs for the work on his Department's offices in Marsham street; and if he will make a statement; [27054]
(4) what has been the cost to date of the work on his Department's offices in Marsham street; what is the expected total cost; and if he will make a statement. [27056]
§ Mr. FreemanI have been asked to reply.
524WAs these are purely operational matters, I have asked the chief executive of the Property Advisers Civil Estate to write directly to the hon. Member.
Letter from N. E. Borrett to Mr. Nigel Jones, dated 30 April 1996:
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has asked me to write to you providing information in answer to the points raised in your Ordinary Written Questions which appeared in the House of Commons Order Paper on 25 April numbered 13, 17, 18 and 21.The main scaffolding to the building was erected in 1991 to provide a means of access to survey the end walls, to enable pieces of concrete debris made loose during freezing weather to be removed safely and to provide protection to those passing beneath the building. This remedy was adopted as the result of a review of the building conducted during 1990 and 1991 which led to the conclusion that it was beyond economical repair and refurbishment.The cost of the scaffolding for the end walls to the towers of 2 Marsham Street to the end of 1995/96 was £763,000 and the cost by the end of the current financial year will have risen by £134,000 to £895,000. The scaffolding was procured by competitive tender from specialist scaffolding contractors. The successful contractor was Coventry Scaffolding Co. (London) from whom the scaffolding is hired. They are also responsible for conducting fortnightly statutory safety and maintenance inspections, the cost of which is subsumed within the above figures.The cost of the work for the bi-annual inspection and removal loose concrete debris varies according to the amount of removal required, but the readily available information shows that the costs in 1994/95 and 1995/96 were £14,800 and £13,000 respectively. This service was obtained by competitive tender from specialist contractors. The successful contractor was Rope Technology Ltd.In addition there have been from time to time, smaller scale requirements for repairs to other parts of the building which have been provided by general contractors whose services have also been procured by competitive tendering and the annual hire and repair costs amount to some £30,000.All the scaffolding will be removed as part of the planned demolition of the building following the departure of the last of the occupants into their new accommodation in Victoria in the early part of 1997.