58. Captain Shawasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information whether he will inquire into the inefficiency displayed by the censor's department in the cable and wireless offices in London, resulting in cables being held up for hours, to the detriment of British trade; why a reply can be got from New York in under three-quarters of an hour, while the censorship of cables from British Dominions entails a delay of hours; and whether he will see that in this matter justice is done to those trading with the British Dominions?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information (Sir Edward Grigg)The only cables for the censorship of which the Ministry of Information has any responsibility are Press cables. I am aware that there have been instances of delay in the past but the cause has often lain elsewhere than with the 1209 censorship. Commercial cables are the responsibility of the Postal and Telegraph censorship, under the control of the War Office, and I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War.