§ 69. Major M. WOODasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Game and Heather Burning (Scotland) Committee, appointed to consider what permanent measures are required in Scotland to protect cultivated land, pastoral land, and plantations from damage by deer, winged game, rabbits and hares, and vermin, and also those required to regulate heather burning, has taken evidence and is preparing its Report; that the Committee requested the special permission of the Treasury to print the evidence laid before the Committee in extenso as an appendix to their Report, in view of the wide scope and importance of the subjects dealt with, and that the Treasury refused sanction thereto; that the preparation of new summaries of the evidence will entail a great amount of work and long delay in the presentation of the Committee's Report; and whether he will now instruct the necessary authority to be given for printing a limited number of copies, in order that Parliament may be put in possession of the whole facts on these matters of urgent national importance, which can only be obtained from a Report of the evidence in extenso?
§ Mr. BALDWINThe answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. It is not now usual to print evidence verbatim except in special circumstances, and I would ask the House to support the efforts of the Treasury to enforce economies. If the Committee be able to satisfy my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer that the cost involved in their proposals is not disproportionate to the object to be attained, he will be ready to consider the matter further.