HC Deb 22 July 1947 vol 440 cc1041-3
54. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether His Majesty's Stationery Office has imposed a reduction in the amount of paper made available for "Coal," a publication of the National Coal Board, proportionate to the cut imposed by His Majesty's Government in the newsprint allocations of daily newspapers.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Glenvil Hall)

No, Sir.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the justification for this discrimination between the treatment of publications of Government monopolies and the publications of private enterprise?

Mr. Glenvil Hall

There has been no discrimination. The newsprint cut to which the hon. Member is referring applies to newspapers, and not to weekly or monthly periodicals.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Is it not a fact that the paper used for this publication either costs dollars or could realise dollars if sold abroad?

Viscount Hinchingbrooke

Are we to understand that where Government Departments use newsprint for the purpose of any publication, no cut will be made at all?

Mr. Glenvil Hall

No, Sir. Nothing that I have said could lead the noble Lord to believe that.