§ Mr. SpeakerI wish to make two short statements to the House.
The first concerns the Votes and Proceedings. The machinery which prints these documents is worn out and must be replaced. The Stationery Office told me that if the existing size of paper were to be retained it would be necessary to buy machinery abroad or to employ additional labour.
I referred this matter to the Select Committee on Publications and Debates Reports, which, after going into the matter carefully, recommended that the size of paper be reduced. I have accepted that recommendation, and, accordingly, from the beginning of next Session, the paper on which the Votes, Orders of the Day, Notices of Motion, etc., are printed will be one inch shorter the width remaining the same.
The second concerns Private Bill Procedure, which, as the House knows, has been the subject of a recent Report by a Joint Committee of both Houses. One of its recommendations, which is contained in paragraph 46 of its Report, was that the final copy of a Private Act should henceforward be printed on paper instead of on vellum. A suitable sort of paper has now been found, and this recommendation will be put into effect. This will result in a considerable saving.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.—[Mr. Heath.]