§ Sir J. Duncanasked 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 Claude Lorrain.
§ Mr. MaclayThe trustees of the National Galleries of Scotland learned early in August that the Holker Estates Company was willing to sell a painting by Claude, "Landscape with Apollo, the Muses and a River God", and that an offer on behalf of a foreign buyer had been received. This picture belongs to the class of outstanding masterpieces which it is in the national interest to retain in this country, and the trustees accordingly sought Exchequer help towards its purchase.
The price of the picture is £47,000. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has agreed, subject to the approval of Parliament, to make an Exchequer grant of £30,000; the National Art Collections Fund has generously contributed £5,000; and the balance is being raised by the trustees from their own resources. A Supplementary Estimate will be laid before the House in due course: in the meantime the money has been advanced from the Civil Contingencies Fund.