To ask the Lord President of the Council what estimate he has made of the cost and time of construction of a pedestrian underpass from the foot of the existing steps outside No. 1 Parliament street to the other side of Bridge street.

I understand that during the design stage for phase I of the new parliamentary building a number of options for a subway were considered but they proved either impractical or expensive. The particular location mentioned by the right hon. Member was considered, but there is insufficient space between the road surface and the roof of the District and Circle Line.The design proposals for the next phase of the new building do envisage, however, that the existing subway will be dedicated to the use of the two Houses and that there should be a direct link through the new building to No. 1 Parliament street.