§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSMay I ask for your guidance, Mr. Speaker, on a matter that is very important to-day, and may very likely become more important as the days go by, namely, to whom questions may be submitted on the Government's latest White Paper, the "British Gazette"?
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI sent you notice, Sir, some two hours ago, of a Private Notice question to the Home Secretary, of which I have also given him notice.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat will be called immediately.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHY(by Private Notice) asked the Home Secretary whether a Government newspaper, known as the "British Gazette," is being published; whether he takes responsibility for the statements contained therein; and whether the cost will come upon the Home Office Vote?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Government will take full responsibility for the matter contained 278 in the paper, and, as the paper is being published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, the cost of the publication will be borne on the Treasury Vote.
§ Mr. RAMSAY MacDONALDThat being so, may I ask to what Minister questions are to be addressed?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI think that at present the right hon. Gentleman might address them to myself; if any other Minister is prepared to answer them, I will let him know.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYMay I ask under what powers or Regulations this publication is made?
Captain ARTHUR EVANSCan the Home Secretary tell the House where this excellent publication can be purchased, because local newsagents, on inquiry being made of them this morning, said that application must be made direct to the Commissioner?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThere is a further question on that point.
§ Mr. THURTLEHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been drawn to page 4, upon which there is an article attacking the trade unions, and will he say when it became the function of the Government to carry on propaganda of this sort?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSI must ask the hon. Member, or any other hon. Member, in regard to particular questions, to put them down. Obviously, I cannot answer them without notice. With regard to the question of the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy), the Government are acting under the authority applicable to every Government from time to time.
§ Mr. LAWSONDoes that apply to the paragraph dealing with the white elephant?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIs it not the first indication of the Government taking a step towards Socialism that the Government are now running the Press of the country, and not leaving it to private enterprise?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a question on which all Members may have their opinions.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWould you be prepared, Mr. Speaker, to take a Motion for the Adjournment of the House? I am not particularly anxious to move that, if the matter can be discussed at a reasonable hour. As long as there is an opportunity of discussing it at a reasonable hour, I shall be quite satisfied.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI think it will be open to discussion, if desired, during the course of to-day.
§ Major COHEN(by Private Notice) asked the Home Secretary whether he can arrange for every Member of Parliament to have a daily copy of the "British Gazette"?
§ Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKSArrangements have already been made for a daily supply of copies of this newspaper to the Houses of Parliament.
§ Mr. COMPTONWill the Home Secretary arrange for an extension of the Zoo notes, to tell us all that is going on there?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEWill my right hon. Friend ensure that the price at which this "Gazette" is sold to the public is reasonable, having in view the gross profiteering in the "Daily Herald" and "Worker's Weekly"?
§ Mr. MACKINDEROn a point of Order. May I ask whether this is a newspaper, or whether it is a Government White Paper; and, if the latter, are we entitled to read the matter in the House of Commons?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI suppose it is a newspaper in the sense to which the hon. Member refers, but, if matters arise out of it, and the Government are responsible, it is always open to hon. Members, by question and answer or otherwise, to deal with it.
§ Mr. MACKINDERFurther on the point of Order. When I get a White Paper from the Vote Office, it says on it:
Published by His Majesty's Stationery Office.I see, immediately below the title of this new publication—this socialised periodical —a statement that it is published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, and the point to which we want to refer is this: In order to consider Government matters we have to read White Papers in this House, and does not that apply to the 280 socialised newspaper introduced by the Conservative party?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf it arises in the Debate, I think it can be referred to.