Earl of Dalkeithasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the recent acquisition by the National Galleries of Scotland of a painting by Gainsborough.
§ Mr. MaclayThe Trustees of the National Galleries of Scotland learned recently that a painting by Gainsborough, "Rocky Mountain Valley with Sheep', was for sale. This picture is one of the finest of the large landscape compositions which Gainsborough painted towards the end of his life and would complete the representation in the Scottish national collection of the56W most important aspects of Gainsborough's work. The Trustees therefore decided to seek Exchequer help towards its purchase.
The price of the picture is £55,000. The Trustees have raised £41,000 from their own resources, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed, subject to the approval of Parliament, to meet the balance by an Exchequer grant of £14,000. A Supplementry Estimate will be laid before the House in due course; in the meantime the money will be advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund.