Miss Wardasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the publication in the U.S.A. of the Joint Resources Board's Report on the Mechanisation of British Coal Mines, he will now make the Report available to Members in the Library of the House.
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe Report of the United States Coal Mission to the Combined Production and Resources Board has not been published either here or in the United States, but a summary of the main findings of the Report was issued as an official release to the Press in both countries on 23rd August. On 3rd October I indicated to hon. Members that further consideration would be given to the proposal to publish this Report. The Government has now decided not to do so, because much of the information contained in this Report was made available on the understanding that it would not be published. Furthermore, it would be 2219W undesirable to set a precedent of publishing confidential joint reports to the Combined Production and Resources Board.