§ MR. P. O'BRIEN (Monaghan, N.)asked the Secretary to the Treasury, Whether he would have any objection to state generally the terms of the contract for the official Reports of Parliament entered into with the Messrs. Macrae and Company, Limited; and, if it is true that this firm have undertaken to recoup themselves for expense of reporting by the sale of the volumes of the official Reports?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSON) (Leeds, N.)I am about to lay on the Table of the House a copy of the contract, so that it may be in the hands of hon. Members in the course of the day. If the hon. Gentleman wishes to know generally what the nature of the contract is, I think I may say that the firm to whom the contract has been given have undertaken to do the work without a subsidy.
§ MR. P. O'BRIEN, arising out of the answer, asked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he had satisfied himself that the contract could be fulfilled on the terms agreed upon without having recourse to what was known as the "sweating system" in the Reporters' Gallery?
§ MR. JACKSONsaid, he had nothing whatever to do with the "sweating system." What he had done was to carry out the request of the Joint Committee—namely, to invite tenders for the performance of the work. He had satisfied himself that sufficient security had been provided that the work should be carried out in a satisfactory manner. In accordance with the usual course, all things being equal, he had accepted the lowest tender.
§ MR. P. O'BRIENasked, if the Government had any knowledge that the hon. Member for North Kensington (Sir Roper Lethbridge) was a member of the Company who had entered into the contract; and whether the ratification of the contract would not, under such circumstances, vacate the seat of the hon. Member.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. GOSCHEN) (St. George's, Hanover Square)No, Sir; I have no such knowledge. I believe it is a Limited Liability Company, and not a firm.