asked the Prime Minister whether, when appointing new trustees for the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and Tate Gallery, he will consider the desirability of ensuring that the trustees as a whole will represent the views on art of all classes of the population of this country.

I do not quite understand what my hon. Friend has in mind. It is, of course, desirable that the trustees of these bodies should be composed of persons who are acquainted with the various trends of opinion on art. I feel sure they are conscious of their duty in this respect and also of their duty to make the best use of the national heritage entrusted to them for the advantage of the community in general.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for his reply, may I ask whether he would appreciate that there has been a certain amount of dissatisfaction in respect of art opinion, and if that is brought to his notice, will he look into it?

I am not quite sure. In art matters there seem to be a great many opinions and a great deal of feeling. I cannot exactly say the strength of any one case or whether it belongs to any particular class of the community.