§ COLONEL HUGHESI beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether, having regard to the fact that last Session +here were 5,987 printed Questions on the Order Paper, he will consider the advisability also of printing the Answers to Questions?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHThe subject to which my hon. and gallant Friend calls attention is one involving considerations of great difficulty. There is little doubt that considerable waste of the time of this House occurs by the practice of putting questions to Ministers which might more suitably form the subject of a letter to the Minister whose Department is concerned; but it is at least doubtful whether the proposal that all answers should be printed would be adopted by the House without lengthened debate. The subject is not one on which the Government is prepared to invite the consideration of the House at present.