§ Sir Francis Fremantle(by Private Notice) asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury by whose direction the issue of the publication of the "Penguin Hansard" has been suspended and whether he has any statement to make?
§ Captain CrookshankPermission was given some time ago to Penguin Books, Limited, by the Controller, His Majesty's Stationery Office, who holds the copyright of "Hansard," to include verbatim extracts from "Hansard" in a prospective publication dealing with the Parliamentary history of the war. When a copy of the book was received at the end of last week, it was observed from the wording used that it might give the impression that it was published under Government auspices. This was not the case, since the Stationery Office had taken no part in, or responsibility for, selecting the extracts or editing the book, nor had any Government Department prompted or approved its publication. Further, it seemed possible that the Select Committee on Publications and Debates Reports might wish to consider whether the book, in the form in which it was to appear, complied with the recommendations in their last report as to the production of an abridged edition of "Hansard." I therefore gave instructions on Saturday morning that the distribution of the book must be suspended for the time being, in order that the above points might be considered at once. I am obliged to the publishers for the action which they have taken, at considerable inconvenience, to comply with this request, and I hope that it will be possible to convey to them a definite decision within a very few days. The House will, therefore, understand that the reasons for this action were technical in character. It is, of course, the desire of the Government, as I am sure it is of all hon. Members, that there should be no limit to the publicity given to our Debates, the open Debates of a free Parliament.
§ Sir F. FremantleWhile thanking my right hon. and gallant Friend for his courtesy to the Select Committee, may I ask whether he agrees with the recommendations of that Committee against the official publication of an abridged "Hansard," and having reported that
the wider knowledge of the activities of Parliament as illustrated in Hansard would he of permanent value to the democratic system,may I ask whether it was not outside their terms of reference—
§ Mr. SpeakerThat goes a long way outside the scope of the Question.
§ Sir F. FremantleI am asking whether it was not outside their terms of reference to consider unofficial publications.
§ Mr. LawsonAre the Government getting any commission on this book for the splendid advertisement they are giving?
§ Mr. SilvermanMay the House be assured that, providing the technical objections which have been raised can be removed, no other objections will be raised?
§ Captain CrookshankI know of no other objection. The last sentence in my reply went to show that.