§ Mr. TrendTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps the Charity Commission took in considering Royal Holloway and Bedford New college's proposal to sell pictures from its collection to(a) consider and take advice on surveys of the buildings and (b) consider the college's alternative plans for raising the money; if he will list those surveys commissioned or considered; and what information was received from the college on its financial needs;
(2) what steps the Charity Commission took in considering Royal Holloway and Bedford New college's proposal to sell pictures from its collection to (a) seek advice on the integrity of the collection from (i) directors of national museums or art collections or (ii) independent experts and (b) consider the provisions on the we of paintings in the 1883 deed of foundation; if he will list the experts whose advice was taken into account; and what alternative educational use was considered for the pictures.
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Table A Unaccompanied 1children2 applying for asylum on their arrival in the United Kingdom, by nationality, November 1990 to December 1991 1990 1991 November December January February March April May June July August September October November December Afghanistan 2 — — — — — — — — 2 — — — 3 Angola 1 — — — — 1 3 — — 1 — — — — Bangladesh — — — — — — — — 1 — — — — — Ethiopia 4 3 — 2 1 1 2 3 1 — — — 3 — Ghana — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — India — — — — — — — — — — — — 1 — Iran — — — — — 1 — — — — — — — — Somalia 2 — 2 2 — — 1 1 1 4 — 4 3 4 Sri Lanka 7 1 8 2 2 6 9 4 4 4 9 9 — 9 Turkey — — 1 2 — 1 — — — 1 — 1 1 — Uganda — — 1 — — — — — — — — — — — Yugoslavia — — — — — — — — — — 1 — — 1 Zaire — 1 — — — — — — 1 — — — — 2 TOTAL 16 5 12 8 3 10 15 8 8 12 10 15 8 19
§ Mr. JackThe foundation deed of 11 October 1883 does not make provision as to any specific use for the pictures. The trusts relating to the pictures are contained in an indenture of 5 August 1881. I understand that the commissioners were asked to make a scheme to change the trusts of the 1881 deed to allow certain pictures to be sold for the purpose of providing a fund without which the main purpose of Thomas Holloway's Foundation could not be maintained.
It was for the college to satisfy the commissioners that it had considered the options before it on the basis of proper advice. It was for the commissioners to satisfy themselves that the case was supported by appropriate evidence, not to seek independent advice.
In reaching their decision the commissioners had before them evidence provided by the college both as to the state of the buildings, the estimated costs of repairs and the financial position of the college including evidence of efforts made to raise the necessary funds. They also had the evidence produced by the objectors to the scheme which was examined with equal care.
The terms of the 1881 deed were considered very carefully on a number of occasions. Specifically the deed did not provide any educational use for the pictures. I understand that the commissioners' view was, therefore, that the integrity of the collection was not central to the consideration of this matter by the commissioners.