Oral Answers to Questions — Public Building and Works – in the House of Commons am 12:00 am ar 22 Mehefin 1964.
Mr Willie Hamilton
, Fife West
12:00,
22 Mehefin 1964
asked the Minister of Public Building and Works how much has been spent on improving playing facilities in the Royal Parks in each of the last 10 years; and whether he will take steps to increase the scale of such facilities.
Mr Richard Sharples
, Sutton and Cheam
As the Answer contains a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate the reply in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Mr Willie Hamilton
, Fife West
Does the hon. Gentleman recollect that on 5th February he wrote to a Mr. Price, who is very active about seeking increased playing facilities in the Royal Parks, to say that he would be unlikely to be able to find the money to reduce the size of the sandpit in Victoria Tower Gardens and put in playing equipment during 1964? As £1,000 is provided in the Estimates for the same year for renovating the chandeliers in Buckingham Palace, does he not think that he has got his priorities a bit wrong?
Mr Richard Sharples
, Sutton and Cheam
I do not think so. When the hon. Gentleman sees the figures for our expenditure on providing playing facilities in the Royal Parks, I think that he will get this into perspective. I also draw attention to the fact that this year we are providing a new sports pavilion in Regent's Park at a cost of £35,000.
Expenditure on the provision and maintenance of recreational and associated facilities in the Royal Parks in each of the ten financial years 1954–55 to 1963–64 has been roughly as follows:
| £ | ||||
| 1954–55 | … | … | … | 10,000 |
| 1955–56 | … | … | … | 5,500 |
| 1956–57 | … | … | … | 6,000 |
| 1957–58 | … | … | … | 3,500 |
| 1958–59 | … | … | … | 5,500 |
| 1959–60 | … | … | … | 8,500 |
| 1960–61 | … | … | … | 20,000 |
| 1961–62 | … | … | … | 11,000 |
| 1962–63 | … | … | … | 34,500 |
| 1963–64 | … | … | … | 20,500 |
| Total | £125,000 | |||
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
