§ 2.38 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have agreed to make a grant out of public funds to the History of Parliament Trust.]
THE MINISTER OF CIVIL AVIATION (LORD PAKENHAM)My Lords, I should like to thank the noble Viscount for giving me the opportunity to make this statement. As your Lordships will have seen from the lengthy and important statement made in another place by my right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in reply to a Private Notice Question yesterday, which is fully reported in to-day's newspapers, His Majesty's Government have decided to make an annual grant-in-aid to the Trustees, not exceeding £17,000, for each of the next twenty financial years. The proposed grant should cover both the cost of the editorial staff and the net cost of publication by the Stationery Office. Of all this expenditure it is hoped that some fair part, at least, will be recovered from sales. For full details I must refer your Lordships to the OFFICIAL REPORT of the House of Commons proceedings of yesterday, in Column 1072 onwards.