PAMPHLET (NEUTRAL COUNTRIES).

HC Deb 18 October 1939 vol 352 cc864-5

38. Mr. Vernon Bartlett

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information how many copies of the pamphlet entitled "The Outbreak of War" have been sent to neutral countries; and what steps are being taken to ensure that in future official explanations of the British case should not reach these neutral countries days or even weeks after the publication of the German case?

Sir E. Grigg

Thirty-two thousand copies of this pamphlet have been sent abroad to countries other than those of the British Empire. In addition 13,500 copies of translations in French, Spanish, Italian and German are being distributed. The pamphlet was designed in the first instance for the use of the British public, because, as I stated on nth October in reply to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Sevenoaks (Colonel Ponsonby), it was considered desirable to make these documents available to the public in a permanent form. But the hon. Member must not suppose that this pamphlet is the first official explanation of the British case to be sent to neutral countries. In fact a number of copies of the White Paper and the Blue Book, containing documents illustrating the course of events up to the outbreak of war, were sent abroad by the Ministry of Information immediately after their publication, that is to say, during the first week of the war and on 23rd September respectively.

Mr. Bartlett

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in some cases people in this country have received as many as eight copies of this document and that there is still a great demand abroad for more official explanations of the British case; and will he see to it that, in future, explanations of the British case reach foreign countries more quickly than they have done in the past?

Sir E. Grigg

In regard to the first part of the question, I should be grateful to the hon. Member if he would give me an example which I can investigate. With regard to the second part, His Majesty's representatives abroad now have authority to take the wirelessed or cabled accounts of important pronouncements here, to have them translated into the local language and issued immediately.

Colonel Baldwin-Webb

Can greater use be made of the British Broadcasting Corporation in this matter?

Sir E. Grigg

The fullest possible use is being made of the British Broadcasting Corporation, but if the hon. and gallant Member has any suggestions to make in that respect, I shall be grateful to have them.