§ 48. Mr. MACLEANasked the Prime Minister whether the material contained in Appendices I, III, V and VI to the Commissioners' Report on Depressed Areas in Scotland is to be considered of a confidential nature; and, if not, whether they will be published separately, as the reader is referred frequently to the appendices?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe general conclusions to be drawn from the appendices are embodied in the report, and the only reason for not printing the many pages of detailed statistics collected in the course of the investigation is that of expense. I shall be happy to arrange for the appendices to be shown to the hon. Member if he cares to see them.
§ Mr. MACLEANI thank the Prime Minister for the offer, which I shall be glad to accept. Is it not the case that many other persons in the areas and outside are equally interested in finding out 1764 how the conclusions of the Commissioners were arrived at? They cannot do that unless they see the appendices, and particularly Appendix No. 3.
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe hon. Member, I am sure, is placing too much importance on the appendices. It is true that they entered largely into the conclusions, but the conclusions can be understood and justified or condemned quite apart from the tremendous amount of figures which would be involved in printing the appendices, which even the hon. Member with all his assiduity would take some time to understand.
§ Mr. MACLEANI am prepared to make the attempt, as likewise are many others.