asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much he estimates that it would now cost to clean the exterior of the Palace of Westminster; and how much it would be in one year's, two years', three years', four years' and five years' time, respectively.

The estimated cost of cleaning the exterior of the Palace of Westminster at current prices is £5· million. The work involved is based on a survey carried out in 1973. The future cost cannot be estimated. This would depend on rises in costs over the next five years.