§ 35. Dr. Broughtonasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many copies of the pamphlet "The Budget, The Crisis, The Facts, Official," have been printed; and what has been the cost to the Treasury.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterFour hundred and sixty thousand copies have been printed, at a total cost of approximately £755.
§ Dr. BroughtonDoes the Financial Secretary not think that in issuing this pamphlet he has overstepped the limits of unprejudiced information and strayed into the field of political party propaganda?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNo, Sir.
§ Lieut.-Colonel LiptonWill the Minister arrange for all unissued stocks of this pamphlet to be placed in the Public Record Office Museum, where they can no longer be seen by the public?
§ 36. Mr. Jayasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will discontinue circulation of the pamphlet, "The Budget, The Crisis, The Facts, Official," and the poster, "Up Against It."
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterNo, Sir.
§ Mr. JayWill the hon. Gentleman at least assure us that the Government adheres to the principle that this publicity should be used for matters of fact and information; and does he not agree that, though it may be uncontroversial for this poster to say that the Government is up against it, it is controversial to give an argued defence of the Budget policy?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThe publication in question gives a factual account of the Budget proposals and of the position of the national economy. As such, it is distinguishable only by its brevity and impartiality from similar publications issued under the previous Administration.
§ Mr. JayBut is the Financial Secretary not aware that this poster says, for instance:
To increase output the Government has changed Income Tax so that many people get more of what they earn "?Is that not obviously argument and not information; and will not the hon. Gentleman, whatever he thinks about that, at least assure us that the Government accept the principle that these publications should stick to fact and information?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI fully accept the principle, but I should have thought that it was a matter of elementary fact that to say, "If you pay less Income Tax you keep more of what you earn"
§ Mrs. MannIn the interests of economy, would the hon. Gentleman hand all the unused "Time For A Change posters over to this side of the House, where we could now use them to very great advantage?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterI am anxious to give the hon. Lady all the assistance that I legitimately can.