§ MR. BENN (Devonport)To ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been directed to a circular issued by the Treasury removing the printing and stationery used in connection with the local County Courts from the districts in which the Courts are held, and giving instructions that all future supplies shall be obtained from London; whether regard has been had to the fact that some fifty printers are employed by the Courts, and who have invested capital in the provision of the necessary material for keeping all the formes, some 500, standing so as to supply the printing promptly, and that to take the work away from the local printers would not only deprive them and their men of current work but would throw on their hands a vast amount of material that would be practically useless to them for other work; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made from the officials of the Courts concerned as to whether the work of the Courts would be facilitated or not by the new plan of obtaining the printing from one contractor; and, if not, will he say why the change is contemplated.
(Answered by Mr. Victor Cavendish.) I would refer the hon. Member to my 794 Answer on the 3rd instant† to a Question on this subject by the hon. Member for Mansfield.