HL Deb 31 January 1962 vol 236 cc1035-6

2.54 p.m.

LORD ROCKLEY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they can now give any information as to whether the Committee set up to investigate the loss of the picture by Goya at the National Gallery have come to any conclusion.]

TILE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT (EARL JELLICOE)

No, my Lords. I understand, however, that the Committee's work is nearing completion.

LORD ROCKLEY

My Lords, I confess I am very disappointed with the noble Earl's reply. I do not know whether he realises that there is considerable misgiving about the Director and management of the Gallery. I wonder whether he can promise that they will press forward in every possible way to give us some more information about this.

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I am sorry my noble friend is disappointed, but I can assure him that the report of the Committee should be in the hands of the Prime Minister in about a month or two.

LORD AMULREE

My Lords, may I ask whether the noble Earl does not think that it might have been a more satisfactory procedure if the Director of the Gallery had been suspended from his duties pending the findings of the Committee?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I think the answer to that question hardly arises from the original Question.

LORD MORRISON OF LAMBETH

My Lords, this theft happened quite a material time ago. Have not the Government anything decisive to say about what happened and what they are going to do to prevent a recurrence? It is a material time ago that this happened, and I should have thought that by now the Government would have something more decisive to say than the noble Earl has been able to report.

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I should very much like to be able to say something decisive, and I am quite certain that the Government will say something decisive, but they are awaiting this Report. The inquiry is a long and detailed one, and, of course, the members of the Committee have other commitments. But as I said in reply to a supplementary question, the Report is expected in about a month or two.