HC Deb 05 March 1941 vol 369 cc893-4
9. Mr. R. Gibson

asked the Minister of Information whether he is aware that letters posted in a town of which he has been informed, for transmission to Iceland and Faroes are censored in that town, and that letters handed in at the censor's office a few hours before the time of sailing are in time to catch the mail; that incoming letters, though distinctively marked on the outside as being written in English are sent to another town to be censored resulting in a delay amounting to weeks; and whether he will take immediate steps to have both outgoing and incoming letters in English, Danish and Norwegian, censored in the first-mentioned town where there are ample means of censoring speedily and efficiently?

Mr. Cooper

The facts stated by the hon. and learned Member in the first part of the Question must refer to exceptional cases, since it is normally necessary for all letters which require censorship to be posted in the usual way. As regards the second part of the Question, the staff of censors qualified to deal with the specialist work involved is too small to enable it to be divided, and as the contents of incoming mail-bags cannot be sorted according to languages before being forwarded for censorship examination, it is not practicable to alter the existing arrangements. I can assure the hon. Member that all practicable steps will be taken to mitigate such delay as these arrangements may involve.

Mr. Gibson

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are very grievous loss and delay to the export trade through taking these letters, which are in ink and can easily be censored by anybody who understands English, from the port itself to another place further South?

Mr. Cooper

It would involve having trained censors at the port as well as at the not far distant town to which they are now taken. The delay ought not to be more than a day or two.

Mr. Gibson

Can the Minister say what is the difference between outgoing letters and incoming letters?

Mr. Cooper

I explained at the beginning of my answer that letters do go to the same place for examination.

Mr. Gibson

Will the Minister look further into the matter?

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