HC Deb 10 February 1893 vol 8 cc1026-7
COLONEL HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)

I beg to ask the Postmaster General if he is in a position to contradict the statements current in the trade that the Post office Guide is printed on wood paper made in Germany; and in the contrary case, if, having regard to the necessity of finding employment for the industrial population of the United Kingdom, no stipulation is imposed upon contractors that the materials supplied at the cost of the public revenue shall be, whenever practicable, produced within Great Britain or Ireland?

MR. HENNIKER HEATON (Canterbury)

May I, at the same time, ask whether it is true that our post cards are manufactured in Germany, though the printing on them is done in this country; and, further, whether those post cards contained, as alleged, 20 to 30 per cent. of German clay?

THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. A. MORLEY,) NOttingham, E.

I shall be glad to have notice of the last question. In reply to the question of the hon. and gallant Member for Sheffield, I have to say that the printing of the Post Office Guide is not under the control of the Post Office, and, consequently, I have no knowledge of the conditions under which it is printed. The whole of the Government printing is, I understand, under the control of the Stationery Office.

COLONEL H. VINCENT

Will the right hon. Gentleman make further inquiry?

MR. A. MORLEY

I think the hon. and gallant Member should apply to the Secretary to the Treasury.