§ MR. MALCOLM (Suffolk, stowmarket)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will consider the advisability of arranging to supply Blue-books and other State Papers, issued by Command or by public departments, simultaneously to Parliament and to the Press.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers, may I point out, with regard to the mysterious document to which I have already made reference on two successive days, that we are still without that document, although it appeared in the newspapers on Monday morning?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI think the fact to which the right hon. Gentleman calls my attention, and of which I was not aware, is most regrettable. I do not know what is the cause of it. The House knows that when the Press gets hold of a document it has very exceptional facilities for rapidly putting it before the public, and no machinery we can construct, will, I think, be able to compete with them. But I think every effort ought to be made in order that documents may be in the hands of Members or, at the very least, in the Vote Office before they are available for the Press for publication.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe right hon. Gentleman hardly goes back far enough. He says the Press "got hold" of this document.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURNo, no!
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANSomeone must have given the document to the Press. The point at which to stop these proceedings is surely the point where the communication is made by the Government.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI was not talking about that particular document. 1491 I did, it is true, refer to that, but in my general observations I was referring to a rule which I think, as far as possible, ought to be applied to all documents. As regards that particular document, I think it is a very serious thing that it should not have been in the hands of Members. I was not in London last week. I was communicated with as to whether there was any objection to publication. I said "No."
§ MR. BUCHANANWould the difficulty not be got over by arranging that the Press shall only obtain the documents when printed for the use of Members?
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Inasmuch as the copy furnished to the Press is always printed, would it take more than a few more hours to strike off the 700 copies required for Members?
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI do not think the matter is quite so simple as my hon. friend supposes, but I am quite willing to do my best.
§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)Was this mysterious document submitted to the members of the Cabinet before being given to the Press?
§ * MR SPEAKERThat does not arise out of the Question.
§ MR. FLYNN (Cork County, N.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is quite customary for the Press to get advance copies of public documents long before they are in the hands of Members?
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order. This is now becoming a debate.