HC Deb 15 July 1942 vol 381 c1209
14. Mr. Creech Jones

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the banning by the Kenya Government of the book, "Africans and British Rule," by Miss Margery Perham; whether the ban has now been withdrawn; and on what grounds the local government imposed it?

Mr. Harold Macmillan

My attention has been drawn to this matter, and the Governor has been asked for a report. I will communicate further with my hon. Friend when the report is received.

Mr. Creech Jones

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that this raises an important question of principle? Does he agree that it means the banning of moderate statements and that the book is in no sense seditious but that it has received a warm recommendation from authorities, not only in Africa, but in this country and in America?

Mr. Macmillan

The first thing I want to find out is whether the book has been banned, which we do not know. My hon. Friend can rest assured that I have a kind of hereditary bias against censorship.

Mr. Creech Jones

May I assure my right hon. Friend that the book has been banned?