§ MR. W. FIELD (Dublin, St. Patrick)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the Treasury is prepared to act on the Report of the Government 1231 Committee recommending, after hearing local evidence, the provision of a new building for the Royal College of Science for Ireland, Dublin; whether, having regard to the sum of £800,000 proposed in the Civil Service Loans Bill for expenditure on the Science and Art Museum, South Kensington, Her Majesty's Treasure is prepared to make provision in this Bill for the building of a new college in Dublin within this financial year; whether the present college building could be utilised, and is required, for the accommodation of the staff of the Board of Works or other Government body; and whether it is intended to transfer the laboratory to a site near Kildare Street?
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. R. W. HANBURY,) PrestonThe Committee to which the hon. Member refers, while reporting that a new building is required and suggesting a site for the purpose, did not propose any plan for its construction. They thought it desirable that the settlement of a plan should be left to another Committee of different constitution. Their Report is still under consideration by the Science and Art Department. Whatever plan may ultimately be adopted, it may be presumed that compulsory powers of purchase will have to be acquired as a preliminary to its execution, and consequently it is not intended to make any financial provision in the present Bill. It would be premature also to decide at present as to the use to be made of the existing college building. Its utilisation must depend upon the requirements of the public service at the time when it becomes available.