§ 9. Mr. C. Pannellasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will make arrangements for hand-outs of all Ministerial public speeches issued through Government channels to be made available to honourable Members as soon as possible after the speeches have been delivered.
Dr. HillCopies of all texts issued through the Government News Distribution Service are sent to the Librarian of the House of Commons.
§ Mr. PannellDoes not the Minister think it is necessary to do something more than this? What one has in mind is the growing practice of Ministers to make speeches outside the House about defence, and even about housing policy —at the Conservative Party Conference. The House can no longer rely on statements of policy being made here. Why 836 cannot Members of Parliament have them?
Dr. HillThe Question relates to the availability to Members of this House of Ministerial speeches and other statements in hand-out form. In reply, I told the House that they are available in the Library, for in all cases copies are sent to the Librarian at ten o'clock in the morning of the day after they are issued. That practice has obtained for a number of years.