§ MR. JOHN DEWARI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Government, in giving the annual grant of £15,300 to the Meteorological Council, will make it a condition that the high level and low level observatories at Fort William be maintained in a state of efficiency, or consider the advisability of making an additional contribution to the Meteorological Council towards the expense of properly maintaining these observatories.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURAs I am at present advised, it would not be desirable to impose conditions on the Meteorological Council or to inquire into this or that particular observatory. I am not prepared to give an answer to the last part of the Question.