§ 44. Mr. Neil Macleanasked the Minister of Information whether he can state the average length of propaganda films issued by the Ministry to cinemas; and what conditions are imposed on cinemas by his Department?
§ The Minister of Information (Mr. Brendan Bracken)The average length of the "5-minute" films, issued weekly is 600–700 feet. Other propaganda films, issued at intervals through commercial renters, vary from 2,000 to 5,000 feet. No conditions are imposed upon the cinemas. The "5-minute" films are shown by agreement with the Cinematograph Exhibitors' Association. Other films are distributed commercially.
§ 71. Mr. Macleanasked the Minister of Information whether his Department has a monopoly of the issue of propaganda films of the various services, military and civilian; whether his Department is responsible for the issue of a film of three reels in length about gas-masks and how to look after them which would take from 25 to 30 minutes to show on the screen; and whether he has received any opinions from the cinema trade on its value as propaganda?
§ Mr. BrackenThe Ministry of Information is in general responsible for all propaganda carried out on behalf of Government Departments through the medium of films; but instructional and training films are produced by the particular Department which requires them. This film was made as a training film for the Ministry of Home Security, which agreed with the Ministry of Information in thinking that the film was not suitable for inclusion in ordinary cinema programmes.
§ Mr. MacleanIs it not being issued to the cinema trade at all? Is it withdrawn?
§ Mr. BrackenI think so.