§ 55. Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERasked the Minister of Labour upon what date the Reports of his inquiries into the grocery and provisions, catering, drapery, and meat distributive trades will be available?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThe Reports to which the hon. Member refers will, I hope, be published in the course of a few weeks. I cannot yet state the dates.
§ Mr. ALEXANDERCan we know why there is such delay in giving the House this information, when the Government had it many weeks ago?
§ Mr. BETTERTONAs the hon. Gentleman is probably aware, there has been great pressure upon the Stationery Office, and we have not been able to issue the Reports up to the present, but I hope it will he possible to issue them in about three weeks.
§ Mr. TAYLORMay I ask whether it would be possible for hon. Members who are specially interested in this subject to have these Reports before they are printed?
§ Mr. BETTERTONNo, Sir, certainly not. Until they are printed, it would be quite impossible to circulate them.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENWould it not be possible to employ outside and efficient labour?
§ Captain GEECould not the hon. Gentleman take steps, in the interests of economy, to get these Reports printed by contract?
§ Mr. BETTERTONThat is a point with which I have no power to deal.
§ Captain GEEWill the hon. Gentleman make representations to the proper authority?