HC Deb 05 June 1919 vol 116 cc2199-200
48. Mr. HOLMES

asked the Prime Minister whether the Report by Lord Kitchener on the supply of shrapnel and high explosive shells in September and October, 1914, can be issued as a Parliamentary Paper?

Mr. BONAR LAW

I do not think it would be wise to take the action suggested in the question. The publication by the Government of isolated documents would not, I am sure, be desirable.

Mr. HOLMES

Does the right hon. Gentleman suggest that the publication of this Report would now be detrimental to the public interest?

Mr. BONAR LAW

No; the reason I gave for not publishing it—and I think the House will agree—is that to publish one set of the correspondence, and to leave out everything else, would be quite impossible.