HC Deb 29 November 1948 vol 458 cc158-9W
Mr. Erroll

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the approximate cost in money and labour of producing stock letter No. Gen/14 by a hand-duplicating process; and what would be the cost of machine printing by modern methods.

Mr. Gaitskell

The cost of producing six months' supply of this stock letter (about 14,000 copies) is £5 8s. 6d. by printing and £3 3s. by duplication. Of this total cost £3 8s. 6d. and 11s. 6d., respectively, represent the labour costs. Stock letters have been liable to revision owing to changes in the rationing procedure and it would have been unwise to print a sufficient number to last for a long time ahead. They are, however, printed whenever it is considered economical to do so.