§ 32. Mr. Kingasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that London booksellers are now charging to students for secondhand hooks two or three times the new price; whether he is aware of the hardship thus being imposed upon students; and whether he will, therefore, allocate increased supplies of paper to the publishing trade for printing books essential to university students for the purpose of passing their examinations.
§ Sir S. CrippsI am aware that the prices of secondhand books are high, but it has not been found possible to make them subject to price control As regards the last part of the Question, book publishers are at present allocated 90 per cent of their prewar consumption of paper; in addition, there is a special, though limited, reserve from which allocations are made for important books for which paper would not otherwise be available. While there is a shortage of educational books, this is due, in general, to a shortage of printing and binding capacity rather than to lack of paper.
§ Mr. KingIs the Minister aware that students are being examined with text books of which they cannot obtain copies, and will he agree that that is an impossible situation? Also, in view of the fact that the number of students has increased since before the war, will he not agree that prewar standards are not a good guide?
§ Sir S. CrippsI quite appreciate the difficulty as regards the shortage of books, and the only thing to do is to borrow one if one cannot buy one.
§ Mr. Skeffington-LodgeBe sure to return it.