§ 40. Mr. R. McNEILLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware of the inconvenience frequently caused to the Press by the hour at which announcements of news are issued from the Admiralty; whether he will give instructions that when important and lengthy communications, such as the recent dispatches of Admirals Sturdee and Beatty, are to be made public, the Press shall be notified as early as possible in the day that such communications may be expected and of the approximate length of such communications, and that the communications themselves shall reach the Press whenever practicable not later than 8 p.m.; and whether, having regard to the fact that many newspapers are published in the afternoon, he will issue communications to the Press before noon in all cases where news which it has been decided to publish is then to hand at the Admiralty, instead of adhering to the practice of keeping back such communications until a late hour in the evening?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAAs stated in reply to other questions on this subject, the Admiralty desire to meet the convenience of the Press as much as possible in all such matters, and an endeavour will be made that, in the case of all lengthy dispatches to be published, ample time may be allowed.
§ Mr. McNEILLCan the right hon. Gentleman not arrange that the news should be communicated, having regard to the time limit required by the Press?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAWe do all we can.
§ Mr. McNEILLMay I call the right hon. Gentleman's attention to that part of the question which mentions 8 p.m. as the latest time to receive communications?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe hon. Gentleman will see that I could not give any definite undertaking.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEWill the right hon. Gentleman consider the provincial Press in this matter and see that they are supplied at the same time as the London Press?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am not aware that there is any distinction made.
§ 41. Mr. McNEILLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will explain 1740 why the news of the sinking of the ss. "Princess Victoria," off the Bar lightship at an early hour on the 9th of March, which was known in shipping centres by 10 a.m. on that day, was not allowed to be published by the evening newspapers, but was held back by the Censor until midnight; and whether he will give instructions that in future the evening newspapers shall not be unfairly deprived of the opportunity of publishing important news until after their morning competitors of the following day?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe Admiralty cannot undertake to give specific reasons for their action in sending any particular notice to the Bureau at one time rather than another, but their wish is to announce such losses as soon as practicable. To attempt to consider the rival claims of evening and morning papers to receive such news would lead to further difficulties.
§ Mr. McNEILLIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the particular case mentioned in the question was known at a very early hour, and was held back in order that the evening papers should not publish it first?
§ Dr. MACNAMARANo; I know from the question that this particular news was known in shipping centres by 10 a.m., and I assumed that at once, but I do not think the hon. Member is entitled to say that this news was held back because the Admiralty thought it was undesirable that it should appear in the evening papers.