§ Mr. BLACKasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how much was paid at the turnstiles of the National Gallery 97W by the public during the past year; and whether he will consider the possibility of making the Gallery entirely free on every weekday?
Mr. GRAHAMThe total receipts at turnstiles of the National Gallery in 1923 were £4,008 17s., and at the Tate Gallery £1,159 18s., a total of £5,168 15s. During that year payments of 6d. for admission were made on four days of the week, namely, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Thursday and Friday are days set apart for enabling art students to copy good pictures. The public were originally excluded from the Gallery altogether on these days. But many years ago arrangements were made for admitting members of the public on payment of 6d., with the object of allowing such limited attendance by the general public as would not interfere with the educational facilities for students. Monday and Tuesday were more recently made paying days, with the object of creating additional funds for the purchase of pictures, to which all receipts on these days have been exclusively devoted. It has, however, now been arranged to make Monday and Tuesday free days from 1st April next, and the Treasury have increased the purchase grant to these Galleries to compensate them for the loss of these receipts. Thursday and Friday will continue to be students' days, and it appears undesirable to alter the long existing arrangements by which attendance of the public on those days is limited by the imposition of a small entrance fee.