asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Departments maintain a staff for the purpose of going through newspapers day by day and cutting out extracts of interest to the Department; and whether he will consider having this work done more economically by having one central Press cutting service for all Departments?

The information for which the hon. Member asks is not immediately available. I doubt whether any economies would be secured by having this work done centrally in all cases, as there are probably many instances in which departmental needs are most effectively met by having the cuttings extracted by a member of the staff.