HC Deb 11 February 1937 vol 320 cc558-60
19. Sir Assheton Pownall

asked the Home Secretary whether lie has now heard from the Newspaper Proprietors' Association and the Newspaper Society in answer to his recent communication to them with regard to recent complaints against certain Press representatives?

Mr. Lloyd

My right hon. Friend has received communications on this subject from the Newspaper Society, the Press Association, Limited, and Reuters', forwarding resolutions passed by these bodies, and I propose to circulate these resolutions in the OFFICIAL REPORT. The Newspaper Proprietors' Association informed my right hon. Friend, in a letter dated the 4th instant, that the Association have decided to appoint a committee "to investigate and recommend any steps which may be necessary to secure the end in view."

Following are the resolutions:

Resolution passed by the Newspaper Society The Executive Committee of the Newspaper Society has considered the charges of unwarrantable Press intrusion into private griefs and private affairs to which publicity has been given recently. The public attention called to the matter makes it desirable that the Society, representing the proprietors of over one thousand newspapers in Great Britain and Ireland (not including the London daily and Sunday newspapers) should express its views, and the Executive Committee therefore places on record the Society's strong disapproval of news-gathering methods that violate the canons of decency and good taste, and also methods of news-gathering and news-presentation adopted with the object of mere sensationalism. The Society strongly protests against the manner in which the whole of the newspaper Press is frequently criticised for the actions of a few. The Society further declares that in matters affecting public interests and rights, it is the duty of the Press to present facts fully. While firmly maintaining this duty, however, the Society deplores and opposes methods which give unnecessary pain and offence. Since newspapers generally already observe and always have observed decent standards of conduct, the Society believes that pressure of opinion inside and outside the industry will operate to correct and prevent isolated instances of departures from those standards. Resolution passed by the Press Association, Limited: That this Board having noted the protests in Parliament and the Press against intrusions by certain newspapers upon the privacy of individuals in the gathering of news, which serve no public interest and cause distress of mind, records its strong disapproval of such practices and requests the Editor-in-Chief to take all necessary steps to secure that no such complaints can be made against the Press Association and to bring this resolution to the notice of every member of his staff. Resolution passed by Reuters: That the Board of Reuters, noting the representations which are being made in Parliament and elsewhere against so-called Press persecution of members of the public and the invasion of their privacy, deprecates as offensive to the canons of journalism the practices complained of and endorses the protests against them. Resolved further: That the foregoing be communicated to all members of the Reuter Staff at home and abroad.
27. Lieut.-Commander Fletcher

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the evidence given at an inquest held at Southwark on 5th February, when a witness protested on behalf of relatives of the deceased against the publicity can be given to the death in the Press, the relatives having been besieged by reporters and caused great pain and distress; and whether the names of the newspaper proprietors responsible can be given?

Mr. Lloyd

I have seen a Press report of the inquest to which the hon. Member refers, but I am unable to answer the last part of the question, since I do not know to which particular newspapers the complaints related.

Lieut.-Commander Fletcher

Is the Home Secretary contemplating any action with a view to putting an end to such incidents as this?

Mr. Lloyd

No doubt my right hon. Friend will wish to consider the replies he has received from the associations concerned.

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