HC Deb 04 February 1964 vol 688 cc958-9
14. Mr. Milne

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the sales at each of Her Majesty's Stationery Office centres in Great Britain for 1963, and the comparative figures for the preceding 12 months.

Mr. Green

As the Answer contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate the details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Milne

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for providing these figures. Will he note that Newcastle-upon-Tyne will not be included in this list and that his reply to me on 3rd December about setting up a stationery office in Newcastle was slightly misleading in that retail sales to the public are not made in Newcastle? Will he look into this matter and ensure that we have a branch of Her Majesty's Stationery Office in Newcastle which includes sales to the public?

Mr. Green

All I can say is—and hope that I am repeating what I said to the hon. Gentleman on the last occasion—that the door is not closed to such an establishment if the work would appear to justify it. I assure the hon. Gentleman that this matter is under constant review.

Mr. Gresham Cooke

Will my hon. Friend also think of putting among those figures the reduction in the value of sales which may take place next year if resale price maintenance on the production of Her Majesty's Stationery Office is abolished?

Mr. Green

I think I had better not enter into a double guessing game at Question Time.

Following is the information:

Government Bookshops Total Sales
1962 1963
£ £
London … 1,167,373 1,277,869
Edinburgh … 82,580 110,986
Cardiff … 29,148 35,864
Manchester … 106,238 127,619
Birmingham … 40,320 52,161
Bristol … 33,020 38,872
Total … £1,458,679 £1,643,371

These figures include mail order and trade business, most of which is conducted from London.