HC Deb 31 July 1997 vol 299 c450W
Mr. Terry Lewis

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the refurbishment of ministerial offices in his Department; and what is the estimated cost of the works and the date of completion. [11868]

Mr. Geoffrey Robinson

There are no plans to refurbish any ministerial offices in the Treasury.

Mr. Timms

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the proposal to refurbish the Treasury building in Great George street under the private finance initiative. [12274]

Mr. Robinson

At a time when all Departments are undertaking comprehensive spending reviews and are subject to extremely tight expenditure controls, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer was unwilling to embark on a major construction project of this scale, which would have involved substantial expenditure and significant financial risks for the other Government occupants of the building in terms of the disposal of property elsewhere. The plans to refurbish the main Treasury building under the private finance initiative represented good value for money in their own terms, but Ministers judged they had to have regard to wider considerations.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has therefore decided to terminate negotiations with our private sector partner, Exchequer Partnership plc.