asked the Minister of Works what revision of the new Colonial Office building plans is contemplated.

I am considering the possibility of revising the plans, and will announce the decision as soon as it has been reached.

If I put down another Question in the near future, will the right hon. Gentleman be able to make a statement?

I hope to be able to make a statement, perhaps, next week.

asked the Minister of Works how much more metal is used in the British Waterworks Association's Standard tap, BS 1010, than in the Ministry of Health's Swan tap; what taps are now being used in the home market; and what taps are being exported.

Taps produced by different makers vary slightly in weight, but on the average the ½ inch B.S. 1010 tap is about 1½ ozs. heavier than the Ministry of Health's Swan tap, and the ¾ inch B.S. 1010 tap is about 2 ozs. heavier than the Ministry of Health pattern. Both B.S. 1010 and Ministry of Health taps are used at home and are exported.

Yes, but does not the Swan tap use very much less material, relatively speaking, than the other tap, and why is it not used more extensively in the home market at this time of shortage of materials?

Arrangements are being made to specify it so far as possible, but it takes time. But progress is being made in this direction.

Is this a case of a new standard being forced on the industry partly by the Ministry of Health and partly by the right hon. Gentleman's Department?

Do I understand that it is definitely the Government's intention to go back to the Ministry of Health tap which was used in the last war to economise in the use of metal?

No; not entirely so.

asked the Minister of Works why additional buildings for the Foreign Office are to be constructed.

The existing building in Downing Street, which was adequate for the purpose of the Foreign Office in 1868, when the staff was approximately 150, and the annual intake of despatches was 26,000, is not adequate now when the staff is approximately 2,500, and the annual intake of despatches is 569,000. The Foreign Office is at present accommodated in six buildings, and this makes the conduct of business difficult.

Do I understand from the right hon. Gentleman that the more despatches despatched, the greater the risk of war?

No. This is an intake of despatches.

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean that the space for the Foreign Office would be greatly increased if fewer despatches came in and more time were given to their consideration?

It is rather difficult to refuse to receive them.

Will the right hon. Gentleman recommend to his colleagues at the Foreign Office that they should take over the enormous building at present occupied by the Ministry of Civil Aviation?

asked the Minister of Works the total value of private building works authorised by his Department in Scotland during 1950.

The total value of private building work licensed by my Department in Scotland during 1950 was £18,718,000. This figure includes work to industrial, commercial and agricultural buildings.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a large body of opinion in Scotland which thinks that the work authorised has been excessive and has had an adverse effect on housing output? Could he sub-divide the figures into cinemas, offices, and buildings of that kind?

I do not think there are any cinemas at all, but I will look it up if my hon. Friend wants to know. Of the £18 million, £12 million is for sponsored work asked for by other Departments, and about £5 million is for maintenance.

Since the figure which my right hon. Friend gives for 1950 reveals no diminution compared with that for 1949, will he undertake, in view of the shortage of building materials in Scotland, to impose a restriction on this semi-luxury building?

I do not think that any of it could be called semi-luxury. We have very close control on all this, and I can assure my hon. Friend that I keep a constant eye on it.

How many despatches have been received in this connection?

asked the Minister of Works what safeguards are taken by his Department in Scotland to ensure that the amount for which a building licence is granted by his Department is not exceeded.

Any complaints of irregularity are investigated, and there are limited arrangements for inspecting work in progress.

In connection with the inspection arrangements, is my right hon. Friend aware that many of us representing constituencies in Scotland are receiving complaints about work not being inspected, and about people doing just what they like after they have got licences? Could I have some information as to what method of review there is, once work is authorised?

I cannot give that, but I can assure my hon. Friend that a licensing officer satisfies himself, before a licence is granted, that the work can be carried out within the licence figure. I am not prepared to engage an army of snoopers to go around.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that in Glasgow there is a considerable increase of spending on luxury redecoration authorised by his Department?

If my hon. Friend will bring any particular case to my notice, I will gladly have it looked into.

asked the Minister of Works the number of prosecutions initiated by his Department in Scotland in connection with building activities where the interest concerned has exceeded the sum authorised by the building licence granted by his Department.

There have been nine such prosecutions in Scotland in the last two years.

What is the number of alleged infringements that have been reported to the Department, and how many prosecutions have been successful out of the number initiated by the Department?

I could not say anything about alleged infringements. In all there were 30 cases in which proceedings were taken, in 21 of which the free limit had been exceeded.

asked the Minister of Works what proposition was put before the Royal Fine Art Commission that a definite floor area was indispensable for the new offices with regard to the Westminster Hospital site.

The Royal Fine Art Commission was informed that the architect's plans only just met the requirements of the Colonial Office.

Does not the Minister recognise that they were given information which made it impossible for them to make modifications, with the result that there will be a building there which will dominate Westminster Abbey, to the great detriment of this part of London?

I think it would be best if the hon. Gentleman awaited the statement I hope to make next week.

Will the Minister publish the exact information given to the Royal Fine Art Commission on this point?

I will consider it, but I cannot promise.

Will the statement the Minister is going to make be the final word on this matter, or will it be open to discussion after he has made his statement.

It will be as final as anything is final.

asked the Minister of Works the registered number of building workers in Edinburgh; and what proportion of these were working in Edinburgh, and what proportion were registered in Edinburgh, but resident and working elsewhere, respectively.

On 15th May, 1950, the latest date for which figures are available, the total number of building workers employed by contractors with business addresses in Edinburgh was 15,113, of which it is estimated that about 8,000 were working in Edinburgh. I have no information as to the place of residence of the remainder, but many of them were employed on hydro-electric and other large schemes scattered over Scotland and would be engaged locally.

Is the Minister aware that the figure of 15,000 gives the impression that in Edinburgh they are not using the full amount of building labour available, and that the present system of registration misleads the public, as apparently 7,000 of those registered workers are employed outside the city.