HC Deb 19 March 1885 vol 295 cc1682-3
MR. CARTWRIGHT

asked Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, If it is true that, consequent on the recent purchase of pictures from the Blenheim Collection, the customary annual grant to the National Gallery is to remain suspended for a term of years; and, if so, whether the Trustees of the National Gallery have addressed any representation on the subject to the Treasury; and, in the event of any such Correspondence having passed, whether there would be any objection to laying the same upon the Table of the House?

MR. HIBBERT

In reply to my hon. Friend, I have to say that, as in the case of the purchase of the Peel Collection, we have come to the conclusion that we should not be justified in including any sum for the purchase of pictures in the Estimate for the National Gallery for some time to come, in consequence of the magnitude of the grant recently sanctioned by this House for the purchase of pictures from the Blenheim Collection. But in making this decision known to the Trustees of the National Gallery, we added that, if any exceptionally advantageous opportunity should arise of acquiring works of a representative character, and of a school or period of which examples are wanted in the Gallery, we should be prepared to give immediate consideration to any proposal which they might submit to us. The Trustees have been in communication with my right hon. Friend on the subject, and he has told them that the time has not yet arrived for any reconsideration of this decision; but if they wish to discuss the question when the Estimate for next year is about to be settled, he will be happy to confer with them. At present, we see no reason for publishing this Correspondence. So far as finance is concerned, the Trustees are in the position of a department subordinate to the Treasury.

LORD JOHN MANNERS

wished to know what was intended by the expression, "for some time to come?"

MR. HIBBERT

said, he supposed that it meant until the amount was run off—the amount usually allowed to the National Gallery for the purchase of pictures.

LORD JOHN MANNERS

asked whether he was to understand that some eight years were to elapse before Parliament would be requested to vote another contribution to the National Gallery?

MR. HIBBERT

said, the noble Lord would see by the answer he had given that the matter had been very much qualified.