§ Mr. KENYONasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the cost to his Department of the verbatim shorthand reports of the proceedings in the recent Safeguarding of Industries Act, Part II, glass-ware inquiry, hollow-ware and baths inquiry, and toy inquiry, respectively; whether the charges in respect of these reports are according to Treasury scale, and what is the Treasury scale for such reports; and, in view of the fact that the Government has recently dismissed a large number of expert lady typists, why were their services not retained in connection with the verbatim reports required for these committees, and a largo saving been thereby effected?
1804W
§ Mr. BALDWINOf the 29 meetings reported in connection with the three inquiries referred to, 11 were reported by a member of the Staff of the Treasury, and the rest by outside reporters. I cannot give any estimate of the cost of the work of the Treasury staff, but the 18 meetings reported by outside firms cost £190. The charges for the services of an outside reporter are in accordance with the Treasury scale, namely, one guinea per day for attendance, and 8d. per folio for transcribing. The Treasury instituted a pool of reporters some few months ago, and the Board of Trade, in common with other Departments, make use of this pool when possible.