HC Deb 20 February 1951 vol 484 cc1067-70
Earl Winterton

(by Private Notice) asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any statement to make on the representations made to the Government by the Trustees of the History of Parliament Trust for financial assistance to make possible a revised and improved scheme for the publication of a History of Parliament?

Mr. Gaitskell

As the House is aware, a project was started in 1933, largely on the initiative of the late Colonel the right hon. Josiah Clement Wedgwood, M.P. (afterwards Lord Wedgwood), to publish a history of Parliament from the earliest times. This project had the support of both Houses of Parliament. The Government of the day agreed to the printing and publication of the History by the Stationery Office, provided that the necessary funds for its preparation could be secured beforehand from sources other than public funds.

Two volumes of the History had been published before the late war caused the work to be suspended. During the war Lord Wedgwood transferred the balance of the funds collected for the purpose to Trustees, who are now charged with the responsibility for preparation and publication of the History.

As the House is, no doubt, aware the Chairman of the Trustees is my right hon. Friend the Chairman of Ways and Means, the Treasurer the right hon. the noble Lord the Member for Horsham (Earl Winterton); the other Trustees are the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Montgomery (Mr. C. Davies), the right hon. the Earl of Drogheda, Lord Badeley, Lord Campion and Professor Sir Frank Stenton.

After the war the Trustees took stock of the position. Circumstances had changed. Costs of production had increased, and adequate private funds were no longer forthcoming to meet the expenditure. If the publication of the History was to be continued the Trustees felt it necessary to ask His Majesty's Government for financial assistance. With this in view, and with the experience already gained, they consulted expert historical opinion, and worked out a revised and improved scheme for the publication of a History of Parliament. The proposal is to divide the History into appropriate periods, determined partly by the volume of the available materials, and partly by the character of Parliament as an institution at different times; to give a detailed record of the personnel of Parliament, both Lords and Commons, an outline of the principal transactions in each recorded Session, and, built up from these details, a survey of the development and continuity of Parliament through the centuries as an integral part of the British Constitution.

In view of the value of such a History, His Majesty's Government, after careful consideration, have decided to give their financial support to its publication. Approximate estimates have been submitted, and based thereon it is proposed that an annual grant-in-aid not exceeding £17,000, which would be made up of £15,000 general expenses and £2,000 net cost of publication for each volume, should be made to the Trustees. For the first year, when the costs would naturally be lower than this maximum figure, a grant-in-aid of £7,500 would be sufficient to cover the expenditure proposed. A grant-in-aid of £7,500 will accordingly be included in the Estimates for 1951–52. It is intended that the proposed grant should cover both the cost of the editorial staff and the net cost of publication by His Majesty's Stationery Office, and should he the first of 20 such annual grants-in-aid.

The Trustees will continue to be responsible for the preparation and publication of the History, but will submit an annual report of their progress and annual accounts, which will be audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Mr. Chetwynd

As a considerable amount of material is available for almost immediate publication, could my right hon. Friend say whether it is intended to start publication at once?

Mr. Gaitskell

That will be a matter for the Trustees.

Mr. Keeling

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us any information about who will write the new volumes? Can he hold out any hope that they will contain biographies of more literary merit than the very poor stuff that appeared in the two volumes already published?

Mr. Gaitskell

That is a matter also for the Trustees, and I do not think it would be wise for the Government to dictate to them.

Mr. R. A. Butler

The right hon. Gentleman talked about 20 annual grants. Does that mean that the outlook is for publication over a 20-year period ahead? If so, could not publication be somewhat accelerated?

Mr. Gaitskell

That is the proposal, but I dare say the matter could be reconsidered when we have gone some way; but for the present that is the view of the Trustees.

Earl Winterton

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Member for Montgomery (Mr. C. Davies) and I—Mr. Deputy-Speaker being precluded by custom from taking part in the debate—will be very pleased, when the Supplementary Estimates come forward, if permitted by the Chairman, to answer any questions or criticisms from any quarter of the House, and to convince the critics that they are wrong? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is very much hoped that we shall obtain from the sale of these volumes a sum of money that will substantially reimburse the Treasury?

Mr. Gaitskell

I am very much obliged to the noble Lord for his offer to deal with questions when the Supplementary Estimates are discussed, and also for pointing out that there is a prospect, at any rate, that some fair part of the expenditure will be recouped.