§ MR. STANLEY LEIGHTONasked the Vice President of the Council, Whether he is able to give any explanation of the publication in The Times newspaper of the New Education Code, together with an elaborate and very favourable commentary, before the text of the Code itself has been placed in the hands of honourable Members? The hon. Gentleman explained that his original Question was—
Whether a few copies of the Code, sufficient for not more than ten of the members, were placed in the Bill Office on Tuesday night, and whether the right hon. Gentleman will stats the name of the Press man to whom an early copy of the Code was forwarded by the Education Office, by whose authority it was forwarded, and at what date?
§ MR. MUNDELLASir, this Question is evidently put under a misunderstanding. I am informed that the Queen's printers began to deliver the Code on Tuesday afternoon, and that about 5 o'clock on that day 100 copies were sent to the Vote Office. The whole were delivered before 8 o'clock this morning. I do not know whether any copies were first given to the Press, and I have no power to influence the articles in The Times or any other paper.