§ 32. Mr. Levyasked the Minister of Information what is the cost of the Social Survey which is being carried out on the instructions of his Department; what use is made of the data obtained; and who frames the questions that are asked from door to door?
Mr. CooperIn answer to the first two parts of this Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made on the Adjournment on 1st August. In answer to the third part, the questions are chosen by officers of the Home Intelligence Branch of the Minister of Information in consultation with the senior officials of War-time Social Survey.
§ Mr. Speaker rose—
§ Mr. SpeakerIf the hon. Member wishes to ask a further question, he must put it on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. LevyMay I ask a Supplementary Question? Would not the time, money and ingenuity be better spent in presenting the British view abroad, instead of—
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is a matter of opinion.
§ Mr. GranvilleDoes the right hon. Gentleman agree that a cross-section of the House of Commons would be cheaper and very much more effective?
§ 40. Mr. Stokesasked the Minister of Information whether he w ill assure this House that neither the individual nor area sources from which information is collected by the War-time Social Survey is conveyed, either to the Home Office, or to the Swinton Committee, directly or indirectly?
Mr. CooperAs I stated in the House last Thursday, statistical reports containing summary results of the inquiries made by War-time Social Survey are available to Members of this House; they are also available to Ministries interested in particular topics. These reports contain some statistics as to the percentages of answers obtained in large boroughs but none for smaller areas. I wish to emphasise that the names and addresses of persons interviewed are detached from their answers and destroyed by War-time Social Survey as soon as the work of the interviewer has been checked. The answers thereby become anonymous.
§ Mr. LevyWhat makes the Minister think that the British morale requires this artificial boosting at a time when all the evidence goes to show that it does not require it?