§ MR. CHIOZZA MONEY (Paddington, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that six trading firms display advertisements within the walls of the National Gallery; that the area occupied by these advertisements is the greater part of the wall space of the entrance hall, or many hundreds of square feet; that one of the firms has, in addition to wall space, a stall, twelve feet long and three feet wide, whore photographs are sold by an attendant, who is not a public servant; that another firm is allowed to place a pile of advertisement cards on a counter; will he say whether any rent is paid for these privileges; and whether, with a view to improving the general arrangement of the entrance and ground floor corridor of the Gallery, he will represent to the 1187 trustees that the wall space of a public picture gallery should be entirely devoted to the artistic purposes of the gallery.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. MCKENNA,) Monmouthshire, N.I am informed that the statements contained in the Question are correct, and that at present no rent is being charged. The subject is being carefully considered by the trustees, and I will communicate their conclusions to my hon. friend as soon as I receive them.