THE DUKE OF ABERCORNMy Lords, I beg to ask the Lord President whether any arrangement has been made, or is in progress, for transferring the care of the Buckland Fish Museum to the Fishery Department of the Board of Trade, and for providing a permanent home for the museum: also why this museum, the bequest of which was accepted by the Science and Art Department in trust for exhibition, is now closed to the public, and when it will be reopened.
§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (The Duke of DEVONSHIRE)I am very sorry that the Board of Education, who have succeeded to the duties of the Science and Art Department, have been very much occupied recently in other matters, and have not been yet able to make any progress in the communications with the Board of Trade as to the 219 future disposal of the Buckland Museum. I hope during the recess, if not sooner, to resume those communications, and of course I can assure my noble friend that in the meantime no step will be taken to carry out the recommendation of the Select Committee, which sat a year or two ago, in regard to the removal of this collection. The museum has been temporarily closed owing to the demolition and re-erection of some temporary buildings contiguous to the part of the gallery where the re-erection is to be made, and it became necessary to utilise the part of the gallery whore the fish collection is housed during these operations. The museum has, I believe, again been opened to the public to-day.