HC Deb 24 May 1922 vol 154 cc1247-8W
Mr. GRANT

asked the President of the Board of Education how many temporary exhibitions have been held at the Victoria and Albert Museum during the last 10 years: what has been the cost of them; what, if any, receipts from them could be set off against such costs; what amount of time have members of the museum staff been called upon to devote to the work of these exhibitions; and is he aware that the arrangement, cataloguing, and labelling of objects comprised in the museum's permanent collection have been interfered with during the periods when these temporary exhibitions have been held?

Mr. FISHER

During the last 10 years about 40 temporary exhibitions have been held in the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is impossible to estimate their cost, as the work in connection with them has been done as part of the ordinary work of the staff, who have also devoted a great deal of their private time to them. The museum is open to the public free and there has been no revenue from the exhibitions, apart from receipts from sales

England. Belgium.
Acres. Percentage of total area under crops and grass. Acres. Percentage of total area under crops and grass.
Permanent grass … … 12,698,221 53.9 1,279,255 28.5
Arable land … … 10,843,512 46.1 3,211,341 71.5
Total under crops and grass 23,541,733 100.0 4,490,596 100.0

of catalogues. I have no evidence for the suggestion made in the last part of the question.

Mr. GRANT

asked the President. of the Board of Education whether a number of plaster reproductions in the Victoria and Albert Museum, especially those of monumental sculptures, are very dirty and in consequence are much depreciated in appearance for purposes of study; and will he give instructions for this neglect to be remedied?

Mr. FISHER

While the Square Court in the Museum containing the plaster casts was being repaired and redecorated, advantage was taken of the opportunity to wash some of the more important casts and to clean others as far as possible without washing. This has, of course, accentuated the discoloration of the casts which have not been cleaned. More casts will be cleaned as opportunity offers, but the expense in money and labour involved is too heavy to allow this work to be proceeded with immediately.