§ Mr. W. THORNEasked the President of the Board of Trade what was the reason for excluding the Press from the Food Prices Committee; whether the minutes of evidence are to be published and placed on public sale; whether it is the almost invariable rule when witnesses give evidence before Government Committees for a copy of their evidence to be sent to them to read over and correct; why was this procedure abandoned with respect to the inquiry conducted by this Committee; and whether all the witnesses have said is solely dependent on the veracity of the single reporter employed, and that no guarantee exists that the statements of a witness may not be presented for the Committee's final consideration in a light quite otherwise than when under examination?
Mr. RUNCIMANI understand that the Committee consider that by holding their meetings privately they have secured valuable evidence on many points which would probably not have been elicited at a public hearing. The Committee are of opinion that the complete evidence given should not be published in view of the confiden- 79W tial character of much of it. I am informed that it has been the usual practice to submit to witnesses a copy of the report of their evidence, although, owing to special circumstances, there have been a few exceptions to this general practice.