asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will consider the advisability of making arrangements that all building contracts on behalf of the Government shall be made by the Office of Works with a view to economy, efficiency, and the centralisation of effort in one Department; and how many Departments arrange their own building at the present time?

This question is constantly borne in mind but I fear that complete concentration of building contracts in the Office of Works will not be practicable. Nine Departments at present arrange their own building, in whole or in part, but three of them have only small requirements of a special character.

Is not this a matter which could be considered by the Select Committee on Expenditure when it meets?

That is for the Select Committee and not for me to say.

Have the plans of these buildings to be submitted to the First Commissioner of Works?

I should like notice of that question. I think there are cases in which the Office of Works is employed as agent for the Department.