HC Deb 21 February 1946 vol 419 cc1286-7
33. Mr. Palmer

asked the Minister of Education if she will take steps to improve the supply of text books for medical, engineering and scientific students.

The Minister of Education (Miss Ellen Wilkinson)

The production of text books is in the hands of the publishers, but supplies are necessarily affected by shortages of labour and materials. Recent increases in the quota of paper allowed for books and the release of printers under the Class B scheme will, I hope, result in better supplies becoming available soon. Where shortage of paper is holding up production, the publishers of text books have an additional source of supply from the reserve held by the Moberly Committee who are always ready to give sympathetic consideration to applications in respect of important books which the publishers cannot produce from their ordinary quota.

Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore

Is the main trouble in the binderies or is it due to lack of paper?

Miss Wilkinson

The trouble now is due not so much to any shortage of paper as to labour for printing and so on.