HC Deb 03 July 1950 vol 477 c15
26. Colonel Clarke

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when his Department's Statistical Digest for 1948–49 will be published.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

I hope that my Ministry's Statistical Digest for 1948 and 1949 will be published in September.

Colonel Clarke

Does the Minister realise that this is quite a valuable publication and that the last edition, that for 1947, came out a year ago last November? The present one is nearly 14 months overdue and a good deal of telephoning to his statistical department would be saved if it were issued earlier than September.

Mr. Noel-Baker

Yes, but I am sure the hon. and gallant Member will realise that after nationalisation a great many changes had to be made in the form of information. It is now much more useful than it was before and it has taken longer to come forward. In future we shall publish a digest year by year, and it will be published much sooner.