§ Lord HAMNETTasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any statement to make on the prices of the House of Lords' Hansard and other HMSO publications.
§ Lord SHEPHERDHansard prices were last increased in January, 1974, after three years during which they had remained unchanged. Production costs and overheads have continued to rise and it is now necessary to increase the price of the Daily Edition from 20p to 22p and the Weekly Edition from 39p to 43p. There will be corresponding increases in the prices of Indexes, bound volumes and subscription rates. The revised prices will come into effect in January, 1975, when Parliament resumes after the Christmas adjournment.
These increases in Hansard prices are part of a general increase in HMSO prices which have been agreed following consultation with the Price Commission. Despite these increases, the publication of Hansard will still incur a substantial financial loss.