§ 56. Mr. Marcus Samuelasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to an article appearing in the "Sunday Pictorial" of 28th September regarding the procedure for dealing with inventions; and whether, in view of the deleterious effect of such an article on our war effort by discouraging new inventions, he will take action to prevent a repetition of such a statement by this paper?
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Herbert Morrison)I have seen the article to which my hon. Friend refers, but I have not been able to find in it anything which requires any action on my part.
§ Mr. SamuelMay I ask whether this newspaper has been warned on previous occasions, and, if not, will the right hon. Gentleman behave like a worm in the turning stage and "Go to it"?
§ Mr. MorrisonThe House will, I am sure, take the view that we really must not proceed to interfere with newspapers merely because they publish something with which we do not agree.
§ Mr. SamuelWill the right hon. Gentleman read the article, when he will see that it distinctly says that inventions are not considered on their merits but from the point of view of whether they would utilise iron or wood, and that if they would they are turned down?