HC Deb 06 December 1995 vol 268 cc252-3W
Mr. Patrick Thompson

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if discussions have yet been concluded on a new long-term agreement with Her Majesty's Stationery Office for the printing and publication of House documents, as referred to in his written answer of 17 May 1995, Official Report, column 237; and what the consequences of that agreement will be for the sale prices of Hansard and other House papers. [4090]

Mr. Beith

The Commission has now approved the terms of a new supply and service agreement between the House and HMSO, which will take effect on 1 January 1996. As a result, the House will no longer purchase its documents from HMSO at the face price but instead will make block payments based on production costs. The level of these block payments will be re-negotiated annually, in accordance with principles set out in the agreement. In calendar year 1996 the block payments will total £11,969,000, which is broadly similar to the total sums paid to HMSO by the Vote Office and other House Departments in respect of the documents in question in each of the previous two years.

The financial settlement for 1996 also provides for the following reductions in the sale price of House documents:

Daily Hansard: £5 instead of £7.50Select Committee Reports: 20 per cent. reduction on current price scalesBills: 10 per cent. reduction on current price scalesWeekly Information Bulletin: £1.50 instead of £2.30

Standing Committee Hansards will in future be priced on a scale according to page content, with a maximum price of £5 compared with the current fixed price of £7.50.

The reduction in the price of the weekly Hansard from £22 to £12, which was announced in my answer of 17 May and came into effect on 6 June, will continue to apply.

Mr. Thompson

To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what consideration the House of Commons Commission has given to the possible safeguards that might be required to protect the future provision of printing services to Parliament in the event of the privatisation of HMSO? [4091]

Mr. Beith

The Commission and the Finance and Services Committee have been giving the most active consideration to these matters and I hope to be able to give a more detailed reply to the hon. Member shortly.