HC Deb 21 November 1939 vol 353 c1010
43. Captain Plugge

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, at the present time, all official publications issued by the Stationery Office, and, in particular, the OFFICIAL REPORT of Proceedings in Parliament, are permitted to be exported freely from this country; and what steps are taken to ensure that these publications contain no information of value to the enemy?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

Official publications may be exported freely from this country to all non-censorable countries, and to all censorable countries provided they are exported by a permit holder. Care is naturally taken in the preparation of official publications to secure that they do not contain information which it would be undesirable to disclose. As regards the OFFICIAL REPORTS of Proceedings in Parliament, the same result can be safely assured by the natural discretion of Members of both Houses.

Miss Wilkinson

Do we understand the reply to mean that the OFFICIAL REPORTS are so carefully drawn up that they contain no real information of value to anybody, including this House?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

They are OFFICIAL REPORTS of the speeches of hon. Members, including hon. Ladies.

Mr. Thorne

Would you lead the House to believe that the Germans do not know what is going on in this House?