Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Government Printing

Establishments

Presented to Parliament by the Financial Secretary to
the Treasury by Command of His Majesty
March, 1927.

LONDON:

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE To be purchased directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the following addresses: Adastral House, Kingsway, London, W.C.2; 120, George Street, Edinburgh; York Street, Manchester; 1, St. Andrew's Crescent, Cardiff;

15, Donegall Square West, Belfast;

or through any Bookseller.

1927
Price 45. od. Net.

Cmd. 2828.

COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY INTO GOVERNMENT

PRINTING ESTABLISHMENTS.

Treasury Minute dated the 14th June, 1923.

My Lords read again Their letter of 26th August, 1919, authorising the establishment of a State Printing Works at Harrow on an experimental basis, the question of continuance to be considered after three years' experience of working.

The period of three years working will expire on 15th June, 1923.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer recommends to the Board that a Committee be appointed to consider the question of carrying out printing for State purposes in Government establishments, due regard being had to the experience already gained in that direction, and to report to what extent, if any, it is desirable that such Government establishments should be continued in the future, and as to the general conditions under which they should be maintained and the principle on which work should be allocated to them, and that the Committee be constituted as follows:

Col. J. GRETTON, M.P. (Chairman).

Sir GEORGE ROWLAND BLADES, Bart., M.P.

Mr. A. J. BONWICK, M.P.

The Rt. Hon. C. W. BOWERMAN, M.P.

The Hon. E. C. HARMSWORTH, M.P.

Mr. W. A. JENKINS, M.P.

Sir HENRY BUNBURY, K.C.B. (of the Post Office).

*Mr. W. R. CODLING, C.V.O., C.B.E. (of the Stationery Office). Mr. A. W. HURST (of the Treasury).

Mr. J R. CHAMBERS, of the Treasury, will act as Secretary to the Committee.

My Lords approve.

[* The Lords Commissioners of H.M. Treasury decided subsequently that it would be more convenient that Mr. Codling should not serve on the Committee as a member but should attend as a witness to give evidence on behalf of the Stationery Office.]

NOTE.

The estimated gross cost of the preparation of the appended Report and the Minutes of Evidence (including the expenses of witnesses and Members of the Committee) is £1,340, of which £210 represents the estimated cost of printing and publishing this Report.

INTRODUCTORY

CHAPTER I :—

CONTENTS.

PAGE

. 5

(i) The growth of State printing requirements

(ii) Summary of present State printing requirements
(iii) A review of the conditions under which State printing
contracts are placed. Classes of printing; Parlia-
mentary printing; Tender procedure

CHAPTER II.-THE DEVELOPMENT OF STATE PRINTING ESTABLISH

MENTS:

A.-Historical ..

B. Summary of the present position

C.-Conditions under which the State works are operated

(i) The method of assigning work to the State

factories

..

(ii) The conditions of employment

..

(iii) The system of accounting

D.-State printing abroad

CHAPTER III.-THE EXISTING STATE PRINTING ESTABLISH

MENTS:

--

A.-General presses managed by H.M. Stationery Office :

(i) Harrow

(ii) Hare Street

B.-Departmental presses managed by the Stationery
Office :-

(i) Foreign Office Press

(ii) India Office Press

(iii) War Office Press

(iv) Meteorological Office Press

C.-Printing for the Government not under the control of

CHAPTER IV.-THE CASE FOR AND AGAINST STATE PRINTING ..

63

CONTENTS-CHAPTER IV-continued.

Financial results :

(i) Competition for Government printing contracts
(ii) The financial results of State printing ..

(a) The value placed on work assigned to
the State factories

Telephone directories; London

Gazette; county court forms

(b) Preferential treatment of the State
factories as compared with private
contractors

(c) Overhead charges

(iii) Future prospects in regard to State printing
Situation of premises; suitability of
premises; equipment; management; stand-
ing type.

(iv) General considerations ..

Political pressure applied to labour questions; effect of State printing on general level of printing prices; saving to taxpayer.

CHAPTER V.-PRINTING CONTRACTS AND TRADE COMBINATIONS

Voters' lists; "Rings."

CHAPTER VI.-SECURITY PRINTING AND IMPRESS STAMPING

Stamps; currency notes :

(i) Control of manufacture..

(ii) Inland Revenue Press

(iii) Stamps and stamped stationery

(iv) Currency (treasury) notes

CHAPTER VII.-PRODUCTION OF MAPS AND CHARTS

(ii) Ordnance Survey Department, Southampton..
(iii) Geographical Section (War Office) Press

111

125

127

140

(i) Admiralty Chart Factory, Cricklewood

CHAPTER VIII-REVIEW OF EXISTING STATE PRINTING ESTAB-
LISHMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO THEIR FUTURE
CHAPTER IX.-SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS..
RESERVATIONS :-

The Right Hon. C. W. Bowerman, M.P., and Mr. A. W.
Hurst, C.B.

I. Printing Presses under Stationery Office control
II. Departmental Printing Presses not under
Stationery Office control

III. The Production of Maps and Charts

143

143

144

146

..

(a) The Ordnance Survey Factory at
Southampton

146

..

(b) The Cricklewood Chart Factory

147