§ Mr. Grimondasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why Exchequer assistance was lately refused for the purchase of a Rubens painting for acquisition for the Scottish public.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterBecause the case for imposing on the taxpayer a charge additional to the regular grant made for purchases of pictures to the National Galleries of Scotland was not strong enough to justify it.
§ Mr. Grimondasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what special grants were made last year, apart from the regular grants to galleries, &c, to enable galleries in Scotland to acquire pictures of distinction.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNone in 1961–62, but the National Galleries of Scotland received a special grant of £30,000 towards the purchase of a painting by Claude in 1960–61 and one of £14,000 towards a Gainsborough Landscape in 1962–63.