HC Deb 28 May 1891 vol 353 cc1181-2
DR. FARQUHARSON (Aberdeenshire, W.)

I beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any correspondence between the Treasury and the Science and Art Department exists relating to the proposed grant for a new Art Gallery on land bought for scientific purposes, and on which buildings in use by the students of the Royal College of Science already exists?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN,) St. George's, Hanover Square

In reply to the hon. Member, I have to state that no such correspondence exists.

DR. FARQUHARSON

May I ask whether the House is to understand that in a matter of the highest importance, affecting the teaching of science in the Royal College of Science at South Kensington, no opportunity is to be given to the scientific officers of the Science and Art Department, who are responsible for that teaching, to express their views?

MR. GOSCHEN

That was not the question of the hon. Member. His question was whether there was any correspondence on the subject. If the hon. Member will ask for information, I will endeavour to give it. There has been no correspondence; but I may say that the representatives of the Department were present when the ground was examined and the matter was gone into.

DR. FARQUHARSON

If there has been no correspondence, in what way have the views of these scientific gentlemen been taken?

MR. GOSCHEN

The Minister who is responsible for the Department communicated with these gentlemen.

DR. FARQUHARSON

Who is the Minister responsible for the Department?

MR. GOSCHEN

I thought it was well known that the Lord President of the Council is at the head of the Science and Art Department.

DR. FARQUHARSON

[amid cries of "Order!"]: May I ask if there is any representative of the Lord President in the House who can give any information on the subject?

MR. GOSCHEN

If the hon. Gentleman asks for information, I will give it. He asked if there was any correspondence, and I said there was not. But I may tell him that representatives of the Department were present when the ground was examined and the matter gone into.

DR. FARQUHARSON

I will put a further question on a later day.