HC Deb 17 April 1940 vol 359 cc956-7
30. Captain Anstruther-Gray

asked the Minister of Information whether he will exercise his right of veto with regard to British Broadcasting Corporation news bulletins?

Mr. Grimston (Treasurer of the House-hold)

I have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend would exercise his right of veto on any matter to be broadcast by the British Broadcasting Corporation, if it were necessary to do so, but he does not anticipate that any such nesessity will arise in view of the co-operation which exists between the Ministry of Information and the Corporation.

Captain Anstruther-Gray

When, as happened last week, early broadcasts are misleading, will the Minister not take steps to prevent the repetition of the misleading substance in later broadcasts?

Mr. Grimston

I will certainly draw my right hon. Friend's attention to that.

Sir H. Williams

Does this also apply to the broadcasting of information by the representative of Moscow in London?

Commander Bower

Is my hon. Friend not aware that, whether we like it or not, any announcements of the B.B.C. are regarded abroad as being at least semi-official, and that fantastic, inaccurate announcements of this sort cast the gravest doubt upon our official announcements when they come out?

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