§ Mr. Greenasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what total sum of money has been paid to the Trustees of the History of Parliament since 1951 until the latest convenient date; what percentage this represents of the total estimate for the same period; and what arrangements have been made for the future of this work.
§ Mr. SimonSince 1st April, 1951, the sum of£79,050 has been issued to the Trustees of the History of Parliament Trust—including the Scottish Committee —from the Exchequer as grant in aid. This sum represents 81 per cent, of the total provision made in Estimates for this purpose for the period 1st April, 1951. to 31st March, 1958.
I understand that the task of the Trust is being undertaken on the basis of a number of separate periods each of which is to be covered by an eminent historian. Work is already in progress on five of these periods and it is hoped that the volumes covering the years 1588 to 1603 and 1754 to 1790 will be ready for publication during 1958–59. Provision has been made in the Civil Estimates for 1958–59—Class I, 22—to enable a grant in aid to be made to the Trustees during this period of not more than£21,170. The Trustees have, however. 61W agreed to make every effort to restrict their demands on the Exchequer during1958–59 to the level of provision—£18,900—for 1957–58.