§ LORD ELTONMy Lords, I beg to ask the question standing in my name on the Paper:
§ [The question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are aware that whereas publishing firms established before the war are restricted to a quota of 40 per cent. of the paper which they used in the twelve months to 31st August, 1939, firms established since 1939 are in no way restricted and are consequently able to purchase any uncontrolled paper which may be available from printers' and merchants' stocks; that at least 220 such firms, founded since the outbreak of war, are now in existence, as compared with 170 members of the Publishers Association; that these new firms are publishing books by authors whose works have hitherton been published by pre-war firms, now prevented 174 by quota restrictions from handling them; that new firms are also issuing very large reprints of books previously published by firms subject to the quota; that, with few exceptions, these new firms possess neither the technical competence nor the literary and manufacturing standards necessary to maintain the reputation of British publications here and overseas; and whether in view of these facts the Government will either prohibit the use of uncontrolled printers' and merchants' stocks for the publication of books or alternatively will permit the quota-restricted firms to compete with the new uncontrolled firms in the purchase of such stocks.]
§ THE MINISTER OF WORKS (LORD PORTAL)My Lords, the delivery of paper by manufacturers and merchants for the production of books is limited to book publishing businesses established before control was instituted or to their successors. Such publishers are allowed a fixed quota based upon pre-war usage and are not permitted to acquire paper for book publishing outside this quota. Certain firms not having quotas have entered business using paper from printers' and others' stocks. Returns which have been obtained show the quantity of paper used by these new firms to be small and to be steadily diminishing. My right honourable friend the Minister of Supply is fully aware of the position and is giving it further examination.
§ LORD ELTONMy Lords, while thanking the noble Lord, the Minister, for so kindly undertaking, as I understand he has done, that the matter shall be looked into further, may I ask, in view of the reference in his reply to diminishing numbers of these unlicensed publishers, whether he would direct his officers to refer to the issue of the trade journal, the Bookseller, for February 24 last, where they will find a very long list of such unlicensed firms, and very abundant evidence, in the advertisement columns of the journal, of their very varied activities?
§ LORD PORTALMy Lords, I can assure my noble friend that I will have that matter looked into.
§ House adjourned during pleasure; and resumed by The LORD CHANCELLOR.