§ MR. HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works if, having regard to the fact that there are 1,800 newspapers in the United Kingdom, reporting the proceedings of the House of Commons, it is possible to provide accommodation in the gallery for more than some 50 journals?
§ THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. PLUNKET, University of Dublin)I should be very glad if I could provide more space for the Press than is at present allotted to it, bat I fear that it would not be possible to do so by any rearrangement of the existing reporters' gallery, or to add to that gallery, without encroaching upon the places now reserved for Members of the House, and which, as is well known, are on crowded nights insufficient. I am afraid I could not, under any circumstances, undertake to provide seats for the representatives of all the 1,800 journals referred to in the question, but we do our best for the gentlemen connected with the various Press agencies by whom reports of our proceeding's are distributed through the country.