HL Deb 31 July 1905 vol 150 cc883-7
THE EARL OF CARLISLE

rose "To ask whether the Government had received any communications from the Royal Academy in answer to the Report of the Committee on the administration of the Chantrey Bequest; and, if not, whether they intended to take any steps to carry out the suggestions of that Committee." He said, my Lords, may I, as shortly as possible, state my reasons for asking my noble friend this Question? Last year a Select Committee was appointed, on the Motion of my noble friend Lord Lytton, to inquire into the administration of the Chantrey Bequest. That Committee sat a considerable number of times, had a great deal of evidence before it, and arrived at a practically unanimous decision. They made certan recommendations which, if I may say so, were excessively conservative and moderate in their character. These recommendations were aimed, not at any revolutionary change, but were intended to give the Academy power of fulfilling the obvious intentions of the testator, which, owing to different words in the will and regulations, it fails to do at present.

I will give but one instance of my meaning. Chantrey stated that the fund which he provided was to be used for the purchase of works of Fine Art of the highest merit in painting and sculpture that could be obtained, and he added that this fund should be allowed, if at any time thought desirable, to accumulate for a term of not exceeding five years. It is obvious, I think, that the accumulation was to be allowed in order to make it possible to purchase works of the highest merit, but that accumulation has practically never taken place, because the council of the Academy, which is the purchasing body, changes from year to year, and they have always spent the income of the year in the year and have never been able to have that accumulation which Chantrey directed that they should have. In fact, one of their members, giving evidence before the Committee, said— You must remember the limitation of our funds; £2,000 a year does not go very far. That is not an imaginary case. Only this year, I believe, a very important work of art, which has received admiration and applause almost universally, was not purchaseable by the trustees of the Chantrey Fund on account of their not having at their disposal the accumulations they were directed to have by the will.

One of the recommendations of the Committee—and the most important recommendation, I think—was intended exactly to meet that case. The Committee recommended that the elected members should be appointed to hold office for five years in order to enable them to accumulate money and buy important works of art. It seems to me clear that the Royal Academy have not availed themselves of that advice. The advice of the Committee was that effect should be given to these provisions, either under a scheme of the Charity Commissioners on the application of the trustees or by Act of Parliament. It seems pretty clear that no application has been made, because we understand that purchases have gone on in the usual way, and that DO advantage has been taken of the suggestion that has been made to them. I do not think it at all likely that an Act of Parliament will be passed this year, or probably next, to remedy this state of things, but I should like to point out to His Majesty's Government that they have in their hands a certain remedy, though perhaps only an indirect one. At present the purchases made by the trustees of the Chantrey Bequest go automatically to the National Gallery. They are handed over to the Government, who direct the trustees of the National Gallery to house them. The trustees have no power of selection or elimination. This collection is increasing very rapidly.

By the generosity of Sir Henry Tate, who built a gallery at Millbank, there is at present still some room for the housing of pictures; but if the pictures so on accumulating at the present rate it will shortly become a question as to where they are to be placed. At present the nation has no control over the number or quality of the pictures sent. If the Government, and I believe they can do it without any difficulty, were to alter that restriction, and make it possible for the Board of the National Gallery to exercise some selection and discrimination, it would at all events be some sanction on the action of the Chantrey Trustees and would show them that they are not entirely and solely masters of the situation. I very much regret that Lord Crewe, who was Chairman of this Commission, has not brought forward this question, as I believe he intended doing. I can only say that I have consulted with him on the subject, and he heartily concurs with me as to the propriety of this Question being put to His Majesty's Government. I beg to ask the Question standing in my name.

THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Lord WINDSOR)

My Lords, I am sure that His Majesty's Government do not complain of the action taken by my noble friend in asking this Question, They do not desire any more than he does, or any more than the members of the Committee do, that the recommendations which the Committee have made should be lost sight of or in any way ignored. A reply has been received by the Government from the Royal Academy in answer to the Report of the Committee on the administration of the Chantrey Bequest, and that reply will be laid on the Table of the House. The Royal Academy in this Memorandum having stated that although they do not accept all the conclusions arrived at by the Committee they are anxious to meet the suggestions it contains, it is the view of His Majesty's Government that a reasonable time at least should be given to see how the proposals of the Royal Academy and their manner of acting upon these suggestions, work out before any further steps if any further steps should be necessary, are taken by the Government. The noble Earl in the latter part of his remarks made suggestions as to the possibility of the Government taking a course with regard to the powers of the trustees of the National Gallery in making some selection or elimination from the pictures of the Chantrey Bequest before taking charge of them in the Tate Gallery. That is a suggestion which I am sure the noble Earl will not expect me to give any definite answer to at this moment; but I can assure him that the suggestion will be carefully considered.

LORD BURGHCLERE

Can the noble Lord inform the House when this reply was received from the Royal Academy, and whether it will be laid on the Table before the end of this session?

LORD WINDSOR

I do not remember exactly when the reply was received, but it will be laid on the Table at once, certainly before the end of the session.