§ 40. Mr. Lawsonasked the Minister of Labour if he will ensure that the Library of the House of Commons receives the 859 latest unemployment figures at least as soon as they are issued to the Press.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI will see that these figures are made available to the Library early on the morning of publication in the Press.
§ Mr. LawsonWill the Minister bear in mind that there is a file copy sent out, but what we had in mind particularly was the supply of copies which hon. Members can themselves pick up? Will he see that this supply is sent to us at the same time as the file copy is sent out and about the same time as the Press receives its information?
§ Mr. MacleodThe second point is a rather difficult one. The Press receives its information on this and a hundred other sorts of documents the afternoon before with an embargo not to be published before midnight, and although one can embargo the Press, I cannot embargo the House of Commons. The best thing I can do is to make this available as soon as possible in the morning in which it appears in the Press. I will take the second point that adequate copies should be made available.