§ Sir A. WILSONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the last available bound and indexed volume of the House of Commons Debates extends only up to 9th May; and whether, in view of the inconvenience entailed to Members of the House and others by the great and increasing delay in the issue of bound and indexed volumes, he will take steps to speed up the production of these volumes?
§ Mr. W. S. MORRISONBound volumes of the OFFICIAL REPORT are normally published six weeks after the date of the last daily part included; but it is sometimes necessary to exceed this period by a few days at times of pressure, or when a holiday period occurs immediately after the closing of a volume and longer time than usual is given to Members for corrections. I am aware that one or other of these causes operated to delay the publication of the last three volumes; but I have received no general complaints of inconvenience to hon. Members, and I see no reason to suppose that the tendency to delay will increase. The latest volume, covering the period up to 29th May, was in fact published on 16th July. While every effort will be made to prevent delay in publication in future, it would not be possible to460W reduce the normal interval without incurring considerable extra expense, which in all the circumstances I could not regard as justified.