HC Deb 08 May 1890 vol 344 cc458-9
DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)

I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Trustees of the National Gallery have accepted the fine collection of pictures offered to the Nation by Mr. Tate; whether any special conditions were attached to the offer, and whether increased accommodation will be provided so that this representative series of works by modern English painters shall be properly displayed; and whether there is any objection to laying the correspondence that has taken place on the subject upon the Table of the House?

* THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. W. H. SMITH,) Strand, Westminster

I asked the hon. Member last week to postpone this question, hoping that I should be in a position to give him a more definite answer, but I regret that hope has not been realised; and as the correspondence on this subject is still going on, all I am able to say is that the Government trust to be able to make arrange- ments by which it will be possible for the nation to avail themselves of Mr Tate's most generous offer.