§ MR. MAURICE HEALY (Cork)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he is aware that no questions addressed to Ministers are reported in Hansard unless Ministers send their answers in manuscript to the Hansard room; and whether arrangements will be made either to have all answers sent in manuscript to be reported, or to have the answers to questions, which are often very important, reported otherwise?
§ * MR. W. H. SMITHI believe that the facts stated by the hon. Member are practically correct, but I cannot admit that Ministers are bound to send copies of their answers to the Reporters' Gallery; indeed, it would often be impossible to do so, many of the answers given being unwritten, and there being, therefore, no copies to send. I am strongly of opinion that the reporting of all questions and answers is essential to a proper official record of the proceedings of this House, and Hansard have always shown themselves so willing to meet the requirements of Parliament that I am sure, now their attention has been drawn to the matter, there will be no further cause for complaint.