§ 56. Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyreasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the assurances given that the Economic Information Unit and the Central Office of Information would not be used to publish politically biased information, and in view of the biased nature of the publication entitled, "The Budget and your Pocket," he will issue instructions to have it withdrawn.
§ Mr. JayNo, Sir. The utmost care was taken by all concerned to ensure that this booklet gave the necessary popular information about Budget questions without political bias, and I can find in it no evidence of bias whatever.
§ Colonel Crosthwaite-EyreAs this pamphlet contains no mention of any criticism made of the Budget on either side of the House, and as it further goes on in one paragraph to justify its existence by saying that Socialist finance has provided good roads and good police, can the Economic Secretary say what its purport is if it is not intended merely to be Apologia pro Crippsia sua?
§ Mr. JayThis pamphlet does not contain criticism of anybody, either of the 892 Government or the Opposition. It contains facts and figures, and that is its purpose.
§ Mr. OsborneIs the Economic Secretary aware that the only correct statement in the whole booklet is in page 3, where it is stated that conditions in England today are not in fact as good as they were in 1938?