HC Deb 23 January 1940 vol 356 cc399-400
72. Commander King-Hall

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that within a few days of its issue OFFICIAL REPORT NO. 6, Volume 355, of the 7th December, 1939, was out of print, and that members of the public were being informed at His Majesty's Stationery Offices that they could not purchase copies of this issue; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent the re-occurrence of such an event?

Captain Crookshank

Yes, Sir. I do not consider, however, that any special steps need be taken to prevent the recurrence of so unusual an event as that referred to.

Commander King-Hall

May I ask who is responsible for deciding whether an edition of the OFFICIAL REPORT is to be reprinted when the public demand has exhausted the first edition?

Captain Crookshank

I should like to have notice of that question. Perhaps I ought to have informed the House that the Debate on that day was an exceedingly interesting one on trade matters, and no doubt it attracted a larger number of customers than usual, and, in addition, that a publication not unknown to the hon. and gallant Member advised all its readers to buy that issue. If we had received notice of this advice perhaps we could have got an extra supply.

Mr. Mander

Has it not always been the custom in the past, when there has been an additional demand for copies of the OFFICIAL REPORT, to reprint the issue immediately? Why was not that done in this case?

Captain Crookshank

The extra demand was for only 62 copies and we must have some regard in these days to expense.

73. Commander King-Hall

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many copies of the OFFICIAL REPORT No. 6, Volume 355, of the 7th December, 1939, were sold to the public?

Captain Crookshank

1,296.