§ SIR HARCOURT JOHNSTONEasked the First Commissioner of Works, When arrangements will be made to allow the Patent Office Museum to occupy the South Block of the International Exhibition Buildings at South Kensington?
§ MR. BERESFORD HOPEasked the First Commissioner of Works, Whether he can state to the House the arrangements which the Government propose to make to increase the insufficient accommodation at present enjoyed by the National Portrait Gallery in the south block of the International Exhibition Buildings at South Kensington?
LORD HENRY LENNOXI am happy to say I have been authorized by Her Majesty's Government to enter into negotiations with the Commissioners of the Exhibition of 1851, with a view to acquire part of the buildings belonging to them at South Kensington. I fear I cannot, at this time, gratify my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridge University by giving him in detail the manner in which the space so obtained 1479 will be allotted. But I may say generally that my first object will be to provide suitable accommodation for the Patent Museum; and after that is arranged, I am not without hope that I may be able to offer to my hon. Friend suitable accommodation for that national collection of pictures of which my hon. Friend is a distinguished trustee.