§ MR. JOHN ELLISTo ask the First Lord of the Treasury, whether he will state, after consulting, if necessary, the authorities of the House, who is 112 primarily responsible for giving the orders for printing, and what is the procedure in connection with Parliamentary Papers and public documents of the following nature: when orders have been given by the House for their printing; Papers laid before the House by Command; Papers laid before the House by Statute; Reports of and Papers connected with Royal Commissions.
(Answer.) The Votes and Proceedings and the Journals of the House and the Proceedings of Grand Committees and certain Papers of an analagous kind are printed under the directions of Mr. Speaker by the printers appointed by him for that purpose pursuant to the Order of this House. Bills for both Houses are printed under a contract with the Stationery Office, which includes also the preparation of drafts of Government Bills, but during their passage through Parliament they are corrected for the Press by the authorities of the two Houses. Acts of Parliament are printed by the same printers under a contract from the Stationery Office. The Clerk of the Parliaments is responsible for the accuracy of the text. The printing of Papers laid by Command and of Papers laid pursuant to Statute is carried out under the directions of the Controller of the Stationery Office, but the matter is prepared and corrected for Press by the Department which lays the Papers. Reports of and Papers connected with Royal Commissions are prepared and corrected by the Secretary of the Commission acting under the directions of the Chairman. The Papers so prepared are printed to the order of the Controller of the Stationery Office.— (Treasury.)