HC Deb 15 December 1947 vol 445 c1465
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Ede)

I wish with your permission, Mr. Speaker, to make a statement in connection with the publication of details of the Report of the Boundary Commission for England in the "Northern Echo," the "Yorkshire Observer," and the "Nottingham Journal" on Friday, 12th December, before copies of the Report were available to this House. The usual arrangements were made for the supply of advance copies of the Report to the Press in confidence for release at 4.30 p.m. last Friday. The London Editor of Westminster Press Provincial Newspapers Ltd. has sent me copies of the papers containing details of the Report. He has also written to you, Sir, a full and frank apology in which he says that for no explicable reason the embargo on publication before 4.30 p.m. was imperfectly read, that he has neither excuse nor explanation to offer other than that of gross carelessness, and that he apologises profoundly for the terrible blunder for which he is responsible.