§ MR. BAILLIE-COCHRANEasked the First Lord of the Treasury in the absence of the First Commissioner of Works, Whether it is intended to complete the Chapter House at Westminster, and to carry out the original design of filling the windows with stained glass, and restoring some of the paintings on the walls?
MR. GLADSTONE,in reply, said, that he could not at the present time give a complete answer to the Question of his hon. Friend. He could not say whether the representation implied in the question of the original design was a perfectly accurate one or not; but he would certainly admit that the present state of the Chapter House was incomplete, and therefore so far not satisfactory. But the question of the Chapter House, although the obligation of Parliament towards it might be considered distinct, was not altogether inseparable from that of the Abbey. The Dean of Westminster had recently made an explanation to him upon the subject of the Abbey in general, and all he could say to his hon. Friend was that when the Dean had sufficient time to make known to him the whole of his views the subject would receive the careful attention of the Government.