§ Mr. HARMSWORTHasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can now say what action it is proposed to take on the recommendations of the Committee of Inquiry into Government Printing Establishments?
Mr. SAMUELI am now able to announce the action which it is proposed to take on the principal recommendations in the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Government Printing Establishments. In the first place, it has been decided to accept the recommendation of the Committee that the Government should continue to produce approximately one-third of its printing requirements at the State Printing Works. Secondly, as regards the Harrow Printing Works, the Committee recorded the fact that the savings effected by the works in succeeding years have followed an upward curve; and gave it as their unanimous opinion that neither on administrative nor on financial grounds should the factory be closed or disposed of at the present time. In these circumstances, the Government do not consider that any definite date need be fixed for a further special examination of the question of continuing this establish- 239W ment, having regard to the fact that the operations of the Harrow Printing Works will come under periodic review both by the Treasury and by the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons.
Thirdly, the Government have taken note of the Committee's view that the Hare Street buildings are not entirely satisfactory, and that the work should be carried out elsewhere. A proposal is now Under consideration for transferring the work now done at Hare Street to a building in Pocock Street, Southwark, already in Government occupation, which can be made available. It is expected by this means to increase still further the economies accruing as the result of the working of the Hare Street Factory. The Treasury are satisfied, after examination of the position, that discontinuance by the Government of the arrangements now made for this work (which includes the printing of the Parliamentary
— 1913. 1918. 1926. (1) Number of Writing Assistants (or members of grades subsequently merged in that grade). 490 1,408 4,603 (2) Number of Writing Assistants promoted to the General or Departmental Clerical Classes, or to classes subsequently merged in those classes. 2 38 267 The figures under (2) do not include those appointed to the Clerical Classes by open or limited competitions.