HC Deb 31 March 1927 vol 204 cc1421-2
72. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the present position with regard to the pictures left by the late Sir Hugh Lane?

The SECRETARY of STATE for DOMINION AFFAIRS (Mr. Amery)

I have been asked to answer this question. I would refen the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given by the Prime Minister to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Ripon (Major Hills) on 5th July last. The position is unchanged since that date.

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

Is not the position still, therefore, that all that is required to have these pictures made over to Dublin is legislation in this House, and is it proposed to bring in that legislation?

Mr. AMERY

No. The Prime Minister's answer was very clear on that point.

Sir WILLIAM DAVISON

Is it not a fact that Sir Hugh Lane stipulated that a gallery should be built for these pictures if they were to go to Dublin, and is it not also a fact that no such step has been taken by the Free State Government?

Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY

Is at reasonable to expect a gallery to be put up when there are no pictures to be put in it?

Mr. AMERY

The question of a gallery does not arise. As to the question of introducing legislation overriding the right of the National Gallery here to these pictures, the Government, after full and most careful examination of the whole question, in which they were assisted by a Committee under the hon. and gallant Member for Ripon, decided that they could not do that.