This statement is of some importance and one which will be welcomed. It is a good proposal that the Great Exhibition of 1851 should be commemorated, and I feel it all the more so, since I happen to be one of those, who, by an accident of office is a Commissioner of the Exhibition. It was, incidentally, with some surprise that I found a permanent body still existing from the Exhibition of 1851. This body has carried on many useful purposes in the century which has intervened. In the list of objects which the Lord President has just intimated as those which he desires to commemorate, I trust it will also be possible to include some of the purposes which the Commissioners have carried out in the intervening century, particularly their work in cultural advances overseas. As the Lord President knows, the British school at Rome, and, I think, a notable amount of activity in Greek archaeology have been under the sponsorship of the Trustees. It is well worth remembering that the Exhibition, which was of great interest to the people of this country, has led to activities outside this country of an international aspect. We should also keep this in mind when we are considering how best to commemorate it.

We shall look with great interest at the proposals for the Festival and particularly the passage in the Lord President's statement that provision will be made to link with the festivals in existing forms in Edinburgh and elsewhere and to encourage new ones. We trust that those who successfully promoted the rather remarkable Festival in Edinburgh last year will be given a full opportunity to co-operate, and perhaps to suggest either new ideas or elaborations of the existing ideas which the Lord President has just mentioned. In general, I think it is a worthy object, and one which will be given a welcome from all parts of the House.