ASSEMBLY HOUSE BUILDING (JURISDICTION)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Lee Kuan Yew asked the Chief Secretary whether the jurisdiction over the whole building of this House of Assembly has been vested in Mr Speaker.

Mr W. A. C. Goode: No, Sir. I regret that, owing to the heavy demands on existing Government office accommodation, it is still necessary to accommodate certain departments in the building housing the Assembly House. It is, however, the hope of the Government eventually to place the whole of the building at your disposal, Mr Speaker, Sir.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew: Could the Chief Secretary, Sir, give us an indication as to when he expects this to be possible?

Mr Goode: We are engaged, Sir, at the moment in a review of the needs for additional office accommodation for the Government departments, and I hope that the result of that review will enable us to plan extra accommodation; but I regret I cannot, at the moment, commit us to any definite date.