MR. JAMES WILLIAM LOWTHER (Cumberland, Penrith)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury what is the number of lead pencils annually supplied to the various Public Departments of the State; what proportion of such pencils is derived from Home and what from Foreign manufactories; what are the average prices of the Home-made and Foreign-made pencils, respectively; and are the Foreign-made pencils superior in quality to those of Home manufacture?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTThe right hon. Gentleman will readily see I have had no time to get this detailed information as to lead pencils.
§ SIR J. GORST (Cambridge University)But surely it could have been obtained from the Stationery Office?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTI have endeavoured to obtain it there; but as the right hon. Gentleman knows, it is not easy to get such information at a moment's notice.