§ 46. Commander King-Hallasked the Prime Minister whether any steps have recently been taken to improve the co-ordination of the several organisations responsible for political warfare; and, if 294 so, what is the nature of the reorganisation?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Information and the Minister of Economic Warfare have been in consultation on the subject of propaganda to enemy and enemy-occupied territories. They have recommended, and I have approved their recommendation, that a small special executive for the conduct of Political Warfare should be established, in lieu of the various agencies concerned at present, which have done very excellent work, to conduct such propaganda in all its forms. This executive has already begun its work, but it would be contrary to the national interest to make any public statement regarding its personnel or the nature of its activities.
§ Commander King-HallI am obliged for the information the Prime Minister has given. Could he say to which Minister Questions should be put on the subject?
§ The Prime MinisterThere can be no Questions on secret matters. On all other matters, to the Minister of Information.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerTo which Ministers will this body be responsible in a general sense?
§ The Prime MinisterThe executive will be responsible to the three Ministers sitting together; but if those Ministers, who have different functions and who approach matters from different angles, do not agree the matter would come to me as Minister of Defence, and afterwards to the Cabinet.
§ Captain PluggeWill this Committee be empowered to establish the special organisation and acquire the material so much needed for the expansion of our broadcasting system?
§ The Prime MinisterI am sure it will be able to make recommendations on these matters. It must not be assumed that nothing has been done.
§ Mr. Garro JonesWhere are non-secret questions sifted from secret Questions? Who is to decide whether a Question is secret or not?
§ The Prime MinisterA certain practice has grown up. In certain cases the Government are asked about matters which cannot be put on the Paper until the Question has been considered. In 295 such cases the regular practice of sifting Questions will be followed.
§ Mr. Garro JonesWhere is the decision made? What is the system? Suppose a Member desiring to put a Question feels that the Question has no secret aspect, will the Clerks at the Table be empowered to reject the Question?
§ The Prime MinisterThe Clerks at the Table exercise the direct authority under Mr. Speaker. Therefore, I should be presuming if I were to attempt to speak upon that, but when I or other Ministers have heard of a Question which has been put down quite inadvertently by a Member who did not know what points would be touched upon, we have made representations, and those representations have been considered, under the general authority of the Chair. I trust I am not presuming.
§ Mr. MaxtonThe use of the term "executive" raises this question in my mind. Is this body, which is to speak in the name of Great Britain, to carry on our political warfare, to be completely anonymous and unknown to the Members of the House of Commons?
§ The Prime MinisterThe persons who do the work are anonymous, but the persons under whom they act are Ministers of the Crown, responsible to Parliament.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerWill this new executive be able to deal with the housing and staffing of the foreign broadcasting service, the inadequacy of which has long been a scandal?
§ The Prime MinisterI think the answer is that the small anonymous executive will probably concentrate some of their earliest attention on this point.
§ The Prime MinisterOne is a danger to the country, and the other is a nuisance to the Government.