§ Brigadier-General Spearsasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information whether he is aware that copies of the Blue Book on the events leading up to the outbreak of war are practically unobtainable in the United States of America and in Switzerland; and whether he will arrange to have large supplies on sale to the general public in both countries?
§ Sir E. GriggTwo thousand copies of the Blue Book were despatched immediately on publication to the British 1063W Library of Information in New York for sale to the American public. Moreover, the Stationery Office have granted permission to a prominent publishing firm in the United States of America to reprint the text of the Blue Book; and I am informed that this version, if not already on sale in the United States of America, will shortly be so.
With regard to Switzerland, over 200 copies were despatched on publication to His Majesty's Legation and Consulates in that country for distribution; and the Stationery Office, which is always ready to meet any orders from booksellers for copies of official publications, have sent a number of copies to booksellers in that country. I may add that in the early days after the publication of the Blue Book, when the demand for it tended to outrun the supply, the Stationery Office agreed to give priority to all foreign orders for copies. In addition permission has been given by the Stationery Office for translations into German and French to be made, as well as into other languages.
§ Mr. Medlicottasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information whether he is prepared to make arrangements whereby the Blue Book on the events preceding the outbreak of war, Miscellaneous, No. 9 of 1939, can be made available to the British public at the same rate as it is now about to be made available outside the United Kingdom, namely, at 6d. a copy?
§ Captain CrookshankI have been asked to reply. The official publication in this country at the price of 1s. remains in great demand. About 450,000 copies have already been sold and sales are continuing at the rate of nearly 10,000 copies a day. Arrangements have been made with the Stationery Office, in conjunction with the Ministry of Information, to issue an abridged version which will shortly be available at the price of 2d. In these circumstances I do not see my way to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion. I should add that an arrangement has been entered into by the Stationery Office with a well-known publishing firm under which the English text of the Blue Book will be reprinted for sale abroad on special terms.