§ 49. Mr. HAYDN JONESasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the recent report by the 278 inspector appointed by the Industrial Insurance Commissioner as to the affairs of the Wesleyan and General Assurance Society, if he will state what was the date of the report and on what date were members of the Press first lent copies of or informed of the same; if any copies of any reports made by an inspector appointed under the Industrial Assurance Act, 1923, were sold; if so, how much was charged per copy; and what principle of selection was adopted as to who should have copies lent for nothing and who should pay for the same?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Major Elliot)The report in question. was dated 17th February, 1932, and representatives of the Press were informed on that date that the report was open to inspection. Copies of this and other reports of the inspector were sold at the prescribed fee of 6d. a folio which, in the case of the report in question, amounted to £3 12s. a copy. The Commissioner may dispense with the fee for inspection of documents (namely, 2s. 6d.), in cases where he may consider it for the public interest to do so, and accordingly no fee for inspection was charged to the Press.