§ MR. STORY-MASKELYNE (Wilts, Cricklade)I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any steps were taken to consult the Science and Art Department, and in particular the Professors of the Royal College of Science, before the allocation of the land at South Kensington, which has been so. strongly objected to in a Memorial to Lord Salisbury, was agreed to, and whether Her Majesty's Government will assent to the appointment of a Committee to report on the statements contained in that Memorial?
§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)Is it not the fact that the Science and Art Department strongly object to the proposed arrangement?
§ MR. GOSCHENThe responsible Ministers of the Science and Art Department were of course consulted, and after examining the scheme upon the spot, in company with the representatives of the Office of Works, assented, on condition that access should be reserved from Exhibition Road to the Southern Galleries and land adjoining them. The Lord President of the Council and I are prepared to receive a deputation from the memorialists, and all possible care will be taken to protect and promote the interests of science at South Kensington. But I must inform the hon. Member that the munificent offer of the Art Gallery to be built on the proposed site has been finally accepted by the Government, and they cannot now re-open the question.