§ 33. Mr. Shepherdasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that fresh instructions are issued in respect of orders for printing and stationery placed by grant-aided bodies to make certain that where such a body can obtain as competitive or more competitive a quotation from outside sources it will not be instructed to purchase from Her Majesty's Stationery Office and be involved in the 12½ per cent. service charge.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterThere is no hard-and-fast rule that all grant-aided bodies must obtain all their stationery and printing requirements through the Stationery Office, but it is generally to their advantage to do so, as the benefits of large-scale purchase normally outweigh the charge for departmental expenses. It would, however, be both wasteful and undesirable for the Stationery Office to quote prices for particular jobs in direct competition with private traders, and I could not agree that they should be expected to do so.
§ Mr. ShepherdIn view of the fact that statements have been issued by the Stationery Office and the Treasury, giving the impression that these grant-aided bodies cannot go outside to get a better quotation, as they can in many cases, is it not better for the country that they should do it?
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIf my hon. Friend will draw the particular case he has in mind to my attention I can, no doubt, clear up any misunderstanding that exists in the particular quarter.