HC Deb 21 March 1944 vol 398 cc673-4
60. Mrs. Tate

asked the Minister of Production on what grounds there has been a recent increase of 7½ per cent, in the paper allocation for periodicals.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Production (Mr. Garro Jones)

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend on 17th March to the hon. Member for Stratford (Mr. Groves). I will send my hon. Friend a copy.

Mrs. Tate

Does not the hon. Gentleman consider that it would have been better to direct the additional allocation for the publication of works of educational value, in view of the grave shortage of books in the schools?

Mr. Garro Jones

I think that if my hon. Friend will read the answer to which I have referred, she will find that books have not fared quite so badly after all. We are not quite able to understand what is the 7½ per cent, referred to, because there has not been any such increase in the case of periodicals.

Colonel Green well

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in the opinion of the. general public an enormous quantity of these periodicals on sale at the bookstalls are absolute rubbish?