HC Deb 24 May 1932 vol 266 cc183-5
33. Mr. T. WILLIAMS

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state in detail the revenue received from the various duties imposed by the Horticultural Products (Emergency Customs Duties) Act to the latest convenient date?

Major ELLIOT

I am sending the hon. Member a statement giving the information he desires.

Mr. WILLIAMS

Will the statement appear in the OFFICIAL REPORT?

Major ELLIOT

It covers a considerable space, and as will be remembered, it has been considered desirable for the sake of economy not to extend the OFFICIAL REPORT unnecessarily by the inclusion of long statistical tables.

Mr. LANSBURY

Surely, if one Member of the House is entitled to this information, all Members are entitled to it?

Major ELLIOT

I can certainly send it to any hon. Member who desires it, but, unless there was a general desire in all parts of the House to have it, I should deprecate the inclusion of such a statistical table in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. LANSBURY

This is a new sort of ruling altogether—that information elicited by a question in the House, is to be circulated or not circulated, at the discretion of the Minister. Many very long statements are published in the OFFICIAL REPORT on much less important questions. I beg the right hon. and gallant Gentleman to reconsider the matter.

Major ELLIOT

I am entirely in the hands of the House in this matter. I can put the statement in the Library, and, if the hon. Member still thinks it desirable to have it printed in the OFFICIAL REPORT and puts down the question again, I will see what can be done. It is solely with the object of meeting the desires of Members of the House, with a due regard for economy, that I have taken the step, in certain cases, of sending the information direct to the Member who has put a question.

Mr. WILLIAMS

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that I received a reply from the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department seven days after the question was put, and already I have received six letters from different parts of the country asking me to provide copies of that reply? Had that answer appeared in the OFFICIAL REPORT it would have saved me some writing.