HC Deb 22 June 1899 vol 73 cc276-7
MR. LABOUCHERE (Northampton)

I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Mr. Bussy, who contracted with Her Majesty's Government to print and publish the Parliamentary Reports of the Debates during the present session, was prepaid by libraries and by private individuals the sum of five guineas to furnish them with the said Reports; that Mr. Bussy is, bankrupt, and the persons who prepaid in advance are now required to make a further payment in order to obtain the Reports since the bankruptcy occurred; and whether, in view of the connection between Her Majesty's Government and Mr. Bussy, some arrangement can be made by which those who prepaid shall receive the Reports of Debates during the present session without further payment.

MR. CALDWELL (Lanarkshire, Mid.)

Before the right hon. Gentleman answers I have to ask whether the reporters on the Staff of the Official Debates who have done the work should not have the first claim to consideration in respect of their arrears of salary.

MR. HANBURY

In reply to the question of the hon. Member for Mid Lanark, I did my best to secure that payment should be made to the reporters, but I fond that when the contractor became bankrupt it was impossible to give preference to one set of creditors over the other. In reply to the question on the Paper, the answer to the first paragraph is "Yes." Legally there is no claim whatever upon the Stationery Office in this case, any more than in the case of the failure of any other contractor. The contract was admittedly a remunerative one, and the bankruptcy was due to causes not connected with it. At the same time everything that can be done to protect the interests of those who (somewhat unnecessarily) paid the subscription in advance shall be done.

CAPTAIN NORTON

Will any further efforts be made to do something for the reporters, many of whom have lost sums varying from £50 to £100?

Mr. HANBURY

Under the Bankruptcy law it is impossible to give preference to one set of creditors.

MR. FLYNN (Cork, N.)

But in proceedings in connection with bankruptcy, are not servants, who have a claim in respect of wages, in quite a different position?

MR. HANBURY

That is a question which will have to be decided by the Official Receiver. It has nothing to do with the Treasury.

MR. CALDWELL

My question was whether the Government could not extend some consideration to the reporters?

MR. HANBURY

I am afraid we cannot bear all the sins of all our contractors.