§ 72. Mr. Culverwellasked the Minister of Information for what purpose the North-Eastern regional officer of the Ministry is issuing a News Letter, and by whose authority and at whose expense this is being done?
Mr. CooperThe News Letter issued by my North-Eastern regional information officer is designed to keep the members of the local information committees in touch with the work of the Ministry. He has a general authority for this purpose from the Ministry, who bear the expense.
§ Mr. CulverwellHas the right hon. Gentleman read this News Letter, because it is most important and undesirable that a public servant employed by his Ministry should distribute a pamphlet imputing dishonourable and sordid motives to Members of Parliament and the Press which criticises the Ministry? Will the Minister take immediate steps to suppress its activities?
Mr. CooperThe officer in question has had it pointed out to him that it is most 1298 undesirable that he should have printed the matter he did in this News Letter. I do not think he imputed unworthy or dishonourable motives to Members of this House.
§ Mr. CulverwellQuite apart from whether the right hon. Gentleman thinks it attributed dishonourable motives, which is the general opinion, does he think that this sort of News Letter is in any way necessary or serves any useful function? Furthermore, does he think it desirable that attached to this News Letter should be a confidential document giving the amount of damage, or lack of damage, done by enemy aircraft in different parts of the country and the places where it has occurred, which news is concealed from Members of Parliament and is given to various people in the area who have no responsibility whatever?
Mr. CooperThere is a subsequent Question on the Paper dealing with the last part of the Question as to giving local information. With regard to the first part, whether the News Letter is necessary, that is a matter which is largely left to the regional news officers.
§ Mr. CulverwellSurely it is the right hon. Gentleman's responsibility to stop this sort of thing?
§ Mr. LawsonWill the right hon. Gentleman make it clear that there is a difference between the North-Eastern and the Northern regions?
§ 76. Mr. Granvilleasked the Minister of Information whether the Ministry of Information section of the North-Eastern Regional Commissioner's Office is directly responsible to the Regional Commissioner or to the Minister; and whether he has authorised or approved the statement on this subject made by Mr. R. K. Bacon in the Ministry of Information section in the Regional News Letter on Parliament and the Press?
Mr. CooperThe Regional Information Officer referred to by the hon. Member is responsible to me. As regards the second part of the Question, I find some difficulty in identifying the statement to which the hon. Member refers; but it follows from what I have said that no statement to the effect that the Regional Information Officer is responsible to the Regional Commissioner has been authorised.
§ Mr. GranvilleWill the Minister show his sincerity in this matter by removing this gentleman from office?
§ Mr. WoodsIs this News Letter submitted to the right hon. Gentleman's Department for censorship; and, if not, is it fair to the London Press, which submits its matter to a censorship, to be criticised by a person in a Government publication, the matter of which is not submitted to the censorship of the Department?
§ Mr. LevySince this gentleman slandered and attacked Yorkshire Members of Parliament, is no disciplinary action to be taken with regard to him?
Mr. CooperI have already said that the attention of the officer in question has been drawn to this matter. As a matter of fact, the criticism of the Press chiefly consisted of reprints of remarks from other organs of the Press which disagreed among themselves.
§ Mr. Charles BrownDoes this officer belong to a Fifth Column or not?
§ Mr. John MorganIs the Minister defending this gentleman's action?
§ Mr. CulverwellIn view of the unsatisfactory nature of the Minister's replies, I beg to give notice that I intend to raise this matter on the Adjournment.
§ 77. Major Milnerasked the Minister of Information whether, irrespective of the accuracy of the statements, he has approved of the principle of civil servants, in the persons of officials of his Ministry, indulging in criticisms of newspapers and Members of Parliament such as appeared in the North-Eastern Regional News Letter, dated 8th August, 1940?
§ Major Milnerasked the Minister of Information whether he is aware that, under the heading of "Private and confidential," information as to the location and precise results of air raids on this country, not hitherto given to Members of Parliament, is being published weekly to hundreds of members of Information Committees in Ministry Regional News Letters; and whether either by distribution of News Letters, or otherwise, such information will in future be made available to Members of Parliament?
Mr. CooperInformation concerning the effects of local air raids is in some cases communicated confidentially to members of Information Committees by Regional Information Officers by means of Regional Bulletins and News Letters, in order that they may be in a position to check or prevent extravagant rumours circulating in their area. Such information is similar to that given in confidence to the Press, and it is subject to the same proviso that it is not for publication. Regional Information Officers are being instructed to send copies of these Bulletins to Members of Parliament in the area concerned in future.
§ Mr. CulverwellWill the Minister inform the House under what order or in what way it is thought desirable that confidential information regarding air raids, which is not available to Members of Parliament, should be distributed to people in the local areas, who have no responsibility whatever?
§ Mr. CulverwellThen does the Minister think it desirable to make it available?