§ LORD CLWYD rose to ask His Majesty's Government whether arrangements have been made for the allocation for Indian purposes of the accommodation in the Imperial Institute (lately occupied 938 by the Northbrook Society) as provided under Clause 6 of the Imperial Institute Act, 1925; and, if so, whether they can state the nature of such arrangements. The noble Lord said: My Lords, in putting the Question which stands in my name I may remind the House that when the Imperial Institute Bill was before this House—a Bill which reorganised the Institute to a large extent—some anxiety was felt in regard to the continued use in the Imperial Institute of accommodation then occupied by the Northbrook Society. As your Lordships will remember a clause, Clause 6, was inserted in the Bill for the purpose of making the position plain in regard to the Indian use of this accommodation. Here I would like, if I may, to express again my indebtedness to the noble Lord, Lord Arnold, who was then in charge of the Bill, for his sympathetic support of that provision in the Bill. I understand that the Northbrook Society has ceased to occupy this accommodation in the Imperial Institute, and under Clause 6 of the Imperial Institute Act it is provided that in the event of the Northbrook Society ceasing to occupy the accommodation it shall be open for an arrangement to be made, either by agreement with the governing body or, in default of agreement, with the approval of the Secretary of State, for the continued use of these rooms in the building for Indian purposes.
§ There has been, and there is, some anxiety as to whether arrangements have been made, or will be made, for the use of these particular rooms for Indian purposes, and I think it is natural that there should be this anxiety from an Indian standpoint because, as your Lordships will remember, India has taken a very special interest in the Imperial Institute from the establishment of the Institute and, more than that, there has been, as your Lordships will remember, a very considerable sum provided from Indian private sources for the objects of the Institute. Therefore it is that I ask this Question this afternoon for the purpose of obtaining information, firstly, in regard to the arrangements which have been made for the use of these rooms in the Imperial Institute for Indian purposes, and, secondly, in regard to the nature of the arrangements which are going to be made.
939§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (VISCOUNT PEEL)My Lords, I do not dissent at all from the general observations of the noble Lord, or the statement that he has made about this accommodation being used, if possible, for Indian purposes, but the question he asks me is whether, now that the Northbrook Society has given up this accommodation, any negotiations are going on for letting the rooms for other Indian purposes. There has been some delay, I understand, in the matter, because last year the question was taken up and discussed with Sir Atul Chatterjee and others, but unfortunately that gentleman was ill and matters were delayed, but I understand he is now going into the question very thoroughly. Of course no arrangements have yet been made. I do not question for a moment that India has the first claim on this accommodation. I will only add this, that if the Secretary of State for India does not wish to use the accommodation, it is very easy indeed to get other occupants.