§ Mr. Keith SimpsonTo ask the Prime Minister how many Government-sponsored official histories are currently in preparation; when each was commissioned; who are the authors; what are the estimated dates of completion; and what is the estimated cost in each case. [68213]
§ The Prime Minister[holding answer 1 February 1999]: The original programme of official histories, commissioned by the War Cabinet and covering military and civil histories of the second world war, was extended in 1966 by the then Prime Minister to include selected periods of episodes of peacetime history. The following are currently in preparation: