HC Deb 22 May 1933 vol 278 c758
46. Mr. HICKS

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that an instalment, extending to about 160 pages, of the minutes of evidence submitted to the Royal Commission on Income Tax in 1920, was priced at 2s., whilst the minutes of evidence submitted to the Raeburn Committee on Co-operative Taxation, extending to 119 pages, is priced at l1s., and whether, in view of the decrease in labour and printing costs Since 1920, he can explain why the price of such a volume has been in creased more than fivefold?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

In 1921 the whole field of the pricing of Government publications was reviewed and it was decided in future to include, in the case of Parliamentary Papers, the cost of setting up the type which had previously been included only in the case of non-Parliamentary Papers. This factor is the explanation of the disparity referred to in the question.

Mr. HICKS

Do I understand that in future the price of any of these documents will be conditioned upon their cost of production?

Mr. HORE-BELISHA

Roughly speaking, that is the case.