§ 77. Sir J. BUTCHERasked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that, notwithstanding the hopes that he expressed on 1st March last 601 as to setting free in the month of April the galleries of the Victoria and Albert Museum appropriated by certain of the staff of the Education Department under the Defence of the Realm Regulations, these galleries are still occupied by the Education Department and are closed to the public; and whether, in view of the great importance to the trade of this country and to the public that these galleries should be restored to their proper uses, and of the injury to our trade and the great inconvenience caused by the closing of these galleries, he will take immediate steps to remove his staff from the museum and to reopen the galleries to the public at the earliest possible moment?
§ Mr. FISHERThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am most anxious that the Victoria and Albert Museum should be restored to its proper uses at the earliest possible date. The delay in the evacuation of the museum by the staff of the Board of Education is due partly to the fact that certain work has to be carried out, in order to render the accommodation allocated to them at Whitehall fit for occupation, and partly to the fact that cerain re-arrangements of other staffs have to be effected before that accommodation can be placed at the disposal of the Board of Education. My right hon. Friend the First Commissioner of Works informs me that he hopes that the removal of the Board's staff to Whitehall will be completed by the end of July.
§ 89. Mr. KILEYasked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will consider the advisability of not giving up possession of any more buildings such as the Crystal Palace, Alexandra Palace, British Museum, and other exhibition buildings, until he is in a position to release the costly business premises and hotels which are so urgently needed?
§ The FIRST COMMISSIONER of WORKS (Sir Alfred Mond)The British Museum has already been given up, and arrangements have also been made in the public interest for the early surrender of the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Imperial Institute, and the Tate Gallery, but the Crystal Palace and Alexandra Palace are being retained for Government purposes. As regards requisitioned business premises and hotels, the number 602 still retained has been greatly reduced, and every effort is being made to arrange priority of surrender in such cases.
§ Sir A. MONDI think there is only one.
§ Sir A. MONDHorrox's.
§ Mr. KILEYDoes not the right hon. Gentleman consider it would be to the advantage of the country, and in the interests of economy, to surrender business places before giving up such places as Alexandra Palace, the British Museum, and other places of that character?
§ Sir A. MONDAlexandra Palace is not a museum. The opinion of the House generally was that museums should be surrendered before the other places.