HC Deb 30 April 1896 vol 40 cc203-4
MR. H. C. F. LUTTRELL (Devon, Tavistock)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether Ministers have the privilege of returning their corrected proofs of the Parliamentary Debates post free, and, if so, whether it would be possible to give to other Members of the House like treatment?

MR. HANBURY

The Postmaster General is not aware that Ministers have any privilege of returning their corrected proofs of the Parliamentary Debates, as such, post free. It is no doubt the case, however, that proofs of Ministers' speeches pass post free when sent among the other officially certified correspondence from their Departments, each Minister of course judging upon his own responsibility when the proofs are entitled to pass in this manner as being sent upon the public service.

MR. LUTTRELL

Is it not the fact that Ministers can return their proofs without payment?

MR. HANBURY

Even if that is so, I do not think that it follows that the privilege should be extended to all Mem- bers. I do not see why a distinction should be drawn between correspondence of this kind and the ordinary correspondence of a private Member.

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