§ Mr. RAMSAY MACDONALD(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether he can state when the Report of the Royal Commission on the Coal Industry will be in the hands of the Government, and when it, will be published.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI understand that the Royal Commission hope to present their Report at the end of February, or shortly afterwards. As soon as it is received arrangements will immediately be made for its publication.
§ Mr. SPENCERBy what means are some of the London papers supposed to get hold of the conclusions of the Commissioners before they have been stated to this House? The "Express" printed yesterday what they stated to be the findings of the Commission before ever they had been submitted to the House.
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am seldom at a loss for an answer, but that is a question I cannot answer.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSIn view of the universal interest in this very great problem, will the Prime Minister deprecate any sort of interim report that may appear, inspired or otherwise, in any newspaper?
§ Mr. J. JONESHas not the Prime Minister or the Government power to summon the proprietors of these news- 1040 papers to the Bar of the House for publishing statements absolutely devoid of truth?
§ Mr. MacDONALDPerhaps it would be convenient for the Prime Minister if I put the question in this form: In view of the publication of what appears to be definite details of that Report in the newspapers yesterday, and I believe before, is it or is it not a fact that any communication has been made conveying these details to the Government themselves?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo; I have had no communication of any kind. I need hardly say how I deprecate any report of that kind. Nothing could do more harm.