MR. GIBSON BOWLESTo ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the objection, if any, to issuing as Parliamentary Papers the quarterly accounts of revenue and expenditure which are furnished by His Majesty's Government to the Press at the end of each quarter, and copies whereof are supplied to the Vote Office for such Members as may apply for them; is he aware that no copies of these accounts are kept in the Library or are otherwise permanently accessible to Members of this House; and is there anything to prevent arrangements being made for the issuing of these quarterly Returns as Parliamentary Papers at the same time as and in addition to their supply to the Press.
(Answered by Mr. Austen Chamberlain.) The quarterly accounts are delivered to the Vote Office for the use of Members and to the newspaper offices on the evening of the last day of each quarter. If the accounts were presented as Parliamentary Papers objection would presumably be raised in the House of Commons if they were circulated to the Press before being delivered to Members. It would be undesirable to discontinue 912 the existing practice whereby the accounts are furnished to the Press on the last day of the quarter and published therein on the following day. I am not aware that copies are not kept in the Library, but I imagine that there would be no difficulty in arranging that they should be placed there if the Librarian finds that any hon. Member desires it.