asked the Minister of Works whether, as a result of recent complaints of bad acoustics in the House and the difficulty of accurate recording in the Press Gallery, particularly of speeches delivered below the Gangway, he will cause tests to be made by experienced technicians and introduce such electrical devices as may ensure, in all galleries in the House, a more reasonable transmission of all Parliamentary debates and proceedings.

The engineers of the Ministry, in conjunction with the B.B.C. and other experts, will start tests of improved systems of sound amplification in the House next week, and continue these through the Recess, I hope to instal, in the course of next year, a permanent new system which will improve audibility in all parts of the House.