§ 6. Mr. Walter Elliotasked the Minister of Works what progress has been made with the arrangements for the memorial to the late Earl Lloyd George.
§ Mr. MolsonI have now received a letter from my right hon. Friend containing the recommendations of the Committee, of which he was chairman, appointed to advise on the memorial. The Committee has unanimously recommended that the memorial statue should be of stone and should be erected on a pedestal adjoining the Churchill Arch in the Inner Lobby. It further recommended the appointment of Sir Jacob Epstein as the sculptor. The Government have decided to accept these recommendations. I should like to take this opportunity to thank the Committee for the care with which it has carried out its task.
§ Mr. WoodburnOn what principle are the statues for the Central Lobby selected? Is it because of the historic nature of the person represented?
§ Mr. MolsonThe procedure is that a Motion about the general policy of putting up a statue is moved in the House, and then it is the custom to appoint a special committee to recommend on the detailed arrangements.
§ Sir A. Gomme-DuncanIs my right hon. Friend aware that many of us are alarmed about the choice of artist? If the statue is to be anything like the Field Marshal Smuts Memorial, we shall not want any more.
§ Mr. G. BrownIn view of the horrible example of the Smuts Memorial, will the Minister have any preview of what Sir Jacob Epstein has in view?
§ Mr. MolsonI deprecate the way in which the supplementary questions about this artist have been put. The works of Sir Jacob Epstein, as is the case I suppose with all artists, vary in their artistic excellence. In six months' time we shall have an indication from the sculptor of what he intends to do.
§ Mr. Anthony GreenwoodAs political or party considerations are not involved in this matter, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the choice of Sir Jacob Epstein will enjoy the confidence and 195 support of many hon. Members on both sides of the House?