HC Deb 02 June 1943 vol 390 cc179-80
19. Mr. Ralph Etherton

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the Telephone Amendment (No. 4) Regulations, 1943, signed on 30th April, which came into operation on 1st May, were not available in the Vote Office until 12th May, 1943; and can he state the cause of the delay in rendering the Order available to hon. Members and the date on which the Regulations could be purchased by the public at the Stationery Office or elsewhere?

The Postmaster-General (Captain Crookshank)

The Telephone Amendment (No. 4) Regulations, 1943, give statutory effect to pew telephone charges which were announced to the House by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget speech and were specified in detail in a White Paper. Copies were placed on sale to the public late on 11th May and sent to the Vote Office the following morning. I am sorry that there was this delay

Mr. Etherton

Does my right hon. and gallant Friend realise that great difficulty is created when Orders are not available to the public until after they have come into operation?

Captain Crookshank

That might be in certain cases, but I do net think so in this one, because not only my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I made speeches in this House, but there was a White Paper published.