§ MR. WEIRI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the heavy cost of stationery in the Admiralty Offices, he will consider the expediency of giving instructions for the printed acknowledgments of correspondence to be issued on ordinary note size 1345 paper instead of on the expensive foolscap paper at present used by the Admiralty; whether he is aware that the use of foolscap paper for such purpose has long since been superseded in other Departments by the use of paper of note size, with the result that a considerable economy in the cost of stationery has been effected; and whether, with a view to lessen the cost of the clerical staff employed at the Admiralty, he will consider the desirability of issuing typewritten letters instead of letters written by hand on double-foolscap?
§ MR. MACARTNEYA Departmental Committee has been appointed to consider the whole question of the stationery used in the Admiralty Offices, and until its Report has been received I am not prepared to make any statement. The economy which would result from the adoption of the particular proposal suggested by the hon. Member would not be as considerable as he appears to imagine. It has been the practice for many years to issue type-written letters on half-sheets; of foolscap, and there are at present 31 type machines in constant use in the Admiralty Departments in London.