HC Deb 14 June 1921 vol 143 cc236-7
76. Mr. HANNON

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will state the extent to which the increase in the cost of printing and stationery, which amounted in the financial year 1913–14 to £1,060,000, and which is estimated in the current year at £4,187,000, is due to increased printing rates and how much to the increased volume of printing which is now being carried out?

Mr. YOUNG

As the reply contains a considerable number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer:

The following table will, I hope, give the hon. Member the information he desires:

Estimated expenditure for 1921–22. Level of present prices (1913–14 = 100). Estimated expenditure for 1921–22 on basis of pre-war prices. 1913–14 Audited expenditure.
£ £ £
Printing … … 2,309,000* 253 913,000 459,000
Paper … … 1,455,000 400 364,000 444,000
Binding … … 228,000 267 85,000 96,000
3,992,000 — 1,362,000 999,000
Other expenditure … … 1,095,000 ‡ — 234,000
Total gross expenditure … 5,087,000 — — 1,233,000
Receipts … … 900,000† — — 173,000
Net expenditure … … 4,187,000 — — 1,060,000
Other expenditure includes miscellaneous stores, e.g., typewriters, pens, pencils, ink, etc., and books and maps, salaries and carriage and transit.
* Includes £700,000 in respect of the Representation of the People Act, 1918.
† Includes receipts of £370,000 in respect of repayments by local authorities under the Representation of the People Act, 1918.
‡ An average figure for the increase in rates cannot be given owing to the wide range of articles and the variation in the increases.