asked the Lord Privy Seal what recent representations he has received concerning the requirement that financial assistance provided to Opposition parties should be expended solely in support of the parliamentary business of those parties; and if he will make a statement.

As I told my hon. Friend in answer to his question on 2 March, each Opposition party qualifying for financial assistance has to certify that any reimbursement claimed is in respect of expenses incurred exclusively in relation to that party's parliamentary business.

Is my right hon. Friend able to tell the House when the next review will be undertaken? When that review is undertaken, will the assessment be made of how the £630,000 which was allocated in 1986 is spent? Will it be an undertaking that the assistance is given to a particular party for carrying out its "parliamentary work here at Westminster," as Lord Glenamara said on 20 March 1975, or for "activities at Westminster," as my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House said on 23 January 1985?

As I have already said to the House, I thought that we were now sufficiently close to a general election to ensure that the next review would be in the next Parliament. The point raised by my hon. Friend about the whole question of monitoring spending is one that could be considered at the time of the review and, of course, it would be done in respect of all political parties.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not recall that when his party was in opposition those sums were disbursed largely to the Conservative research department? Could it be the temporary absence of those funds that has led that organisation to become so slipshod and inaccurate in its work; such as, for example not knowing that during the Lib-Lab pact inflation went down from 20 to 7 per cent. and that Labour's nationalisation measures were stopped? Is he looking forward to the return of those funds to his party?

The hon. Gentleman has raised a facile point. I assure him that if we are to quarry for the ineptitudes of research activities on behalf of the respective parties, the Liberal aspect of the Liberal-Social Democratic alliance would come out top of the league.

I shall now turn to the more serious point, which is what I am sure the hon. Gentleman intended. I thank him for pointing out the great importance of research in sustaining a party in opposition. That was never more evident than now.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations he has received about progress with the cleaning and restoring of the external stonework of the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations he has received about progress with the cleaning and restoring of the external stonework of the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.

I have not received any recent representations on this topic, but I am aware of a general wish among hon. Members that the stone restoration work should be completed as soon as possible.

Will my right hon. Friend accept the wide admiration of the House and the country for the beauty of the parliamentary building as it is revealed by the restoration, and will he accept from me and many people that it would be extremely sad if the Victoria Tower was not fully restored, as it has been rumoured it may not be? Would it not be tragic if it stuck out like an elegant sore thumb?

I agree with my hon. Friend. The restoration work that has been undertaken for the Palace of Westminster has had admirable consequences and I hope that in due course the Victoria Tower can be similarly restored. My hon. Friend will understand that I am in no position to say when that work will be undertaken.

While commending the work that has been done, which is surely an example of how Parliament and the Government should lead the country in the proper care of architectural conservation, may I ask my right hon. Friend whether there are any plans to try to improve some of the internal courtyards of the Palace, which are very untidy and a disgrace to the splendid architectural heritage that has been passed on to us?

I cannot answer that specific point without notice. However, if my hon. Friend would like to get in touch with me, I will ensure that he receives an answer.

I wonder whether my right hon. Friend would see to it that a gargoyle is constructed of the Boy David, which apparently is the new title of the leader of the Liberal party, as described by the leader of the Social Democratic party.

I thought that that description was so striking that it could stand on its own.

Would my right hon. Friend pass on the thanks of the House to all those responsible for what is, by any standards, superb work?

I am most happy to undertake that request.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will take steps to secure the withdrawal of curried Cornish pasties from the cafeterias of the House; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.

I unreservedly apologise to my hon. Friend for the human error that occurred when his delectable cornish pasty, whose name and fame is worldwide, was attributed to another of lesser renown; and the Catering Sub-Committee, through the General Manager, has taken immediate corrective action.

Does my hon. Friend realise that I am completely disarmed by that helpful reply? Does he also appreciate that if such action had not been taken his own very fine reputation as the best Chairman of the Catering Sub-Committee that the House has ever seen might well have been in jeopardy? While on the subject of pasties, may I go a little further? Does he realise that this insult against the culinary traditions of Cornwall has been further intensified by the fact that a more conventional type of pasty, sold as a Cornish pasty in the House, has a giveaway tag on its cellophane wrapper which reads "Made in Kent"? Will he, therefore, after these exchanges, taste a real genuine Cornish pasty that has been kindly made for him by a constituent of mine?

I am very grateful to my hon. Friend, who is a great defender of Cornish traditions. I think that he may be able to help me by sending me a note to tell me the sort of name that he would give to this Cornish patsie—I am sorry, pasty.

May I invite my hon Friend the Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) to send my hon. Friend the Chairman of the Catering Sub-Committee an authentic Cornish recipe, if he could do so without engendering further controversy?

That is a most admirable suggestion.

In order to make amends to the people of Cornwall, and in recognition of the fact that they have just elected another Liberal hon. Member to this honourable House, will my hon. Friend consider the introduction to the menus of this House of that very fishy dish Stargazy Pie?

I should be very happy to give that matter careful consideration. However, I am afraid that pasties or patsies are non-political.