§ 48. Major HILLSasked the Prime Minister what action His Majesty's Government propose to take on the Report of the Committee appointed by the late Government to consider certain questions relating to the 39 pictures bequeathed under the will of the late Sir Hugh Lane to the National Gallery in London?
§ The PRIME MINISTERHis Majesty's Government have given very careful consideration over a prolonged period to the whole matter dealt with in this Report and they have decided that they must accept the conclusion reached by the Committee that it would be improper to modify Sir Hugh Lane's Will by legislation. They have, however, received an assurance from the Trustees of the National Gallery that it is their present intention to lend to Dublin a substantial number of the pictures in question from time to time and for a substantial period, as soon as they are empowered to do so under Section 4 of the National Gallery (Loan) Act, 1883, that is to say at the expiration of 15 years from the date when the pictures came into their possession, whether a special gallery has then been provided in Dublin or not.