HC Deb 26 November 1931 vol 260 cc513-4
104. Mr. HALL-CAINE

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, with a view to increasing national revenue, he will consider the adoption of the policy of including advertising matter in all Government publications; and whether, as a type of the change suggested, his attention, has been called to Command Paper, No. 2, of the Minister of Pensions, which contains three and a-half blank pages which might have been filled with revenue-winning material?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

As the hon. Member is probably aware, non-Parliamentary publications are already available, in general, for commercial advertisements and a substantial revenue is derived from them. Advertisements have never been accepted for Parliamentary publications (of which the report referred to in the question is one), and I am not prepared to alter the existing practice in this respect.

112. Mr. HALL-CAINE

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether His Majesty's Stationery Office, in issuing information as to the publications it has for sale, debits the cost of the space it occupies in official publications against the cost of such publications; and, if not, whether, in the interests of proper book-keeping, it will do so, or will let for advertising the space now taken up by official announcements of literature for sale?

Mr. CHAMBERLAIN

The answer is in the negative. Stationery Office announcements do not, in fact, appear in any space which could be disposed of to a private advertiser.

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