Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Government Printing Establishments Presented to Parliament by the Financial Secretary to 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 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 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 (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 (a) The value placed on work assigned to Telephone directories; London Gazette; county court forms (b) Preferential treatment of the State (c) Overhead charges (iii) Future prospects in regard to State printing (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.. 111 125 127 140 (i) Admiralty Chart Factory, Cricklewood CHAPTER VIII-REVIEW OF EXISTING STATE PRINTING ESTAB- The Right Hon. C. W. Bowerman, M.P., and Mr. A. W. I. Printing Presses under Stationery Office control III. The Production of Maps and Charts 143 143 144 146 .. (a) The Ordnance Survey Factory at 146 .. (b) The Cricklewood Chart Factory 147 |