§ 45. Mr. Hills (for Mr. Dobbie)asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that acute controversy has arisen in connection with the system of official shorthand writing set up in the Chancery and King's Bench Divisions in October, 1937, and that litigation is under consideration at the suit of various parties against the Association of Official Shorthand Writers, Limited; whether, to avert such litigation, he will set up a Select Committee to investigate the whole circumstances leading up to the agreement of August, 1937, between the Lord Chancellor, the Treasury, and the Association of Official Shorthand Writers, Limited; to inquire into the terms of agreement the Association of Official Shorthand Writers, Limited, has imposed upon its members; and into the constitution of that body?
§ Sir S. HoareI am not aware that any controversy has arisen in connection with the system of official shorthand writing to which the hon. Member refers, nor am I aware that litigation is under consideration against the Association of Official Shorthand Writers, Limited. My right hon. Friend sees no ground for the suggestion that a Select Committee should be appointed, such as the hon. Member proposes,
§ 57. Mr. Hills (for Mr. Dobbie)asked the Attorney-General why the arrangement with the Association of Shorthand Writers was made; and whether he will lay the relevant documents upon the Table of the House?
§ The Solicitor-General (Sir Terence O'Connor)The arrangement entered into with the Association of Shorthand Writers resulted from a recommendation contained in the report of a committee presided over by Mr. Justice Atkinson (Cmd. 5395), which was presented to Parliament in March, 1937. This is, strictly speaking, the only document relevant to the reason why the arrangement was entered into.