HC Deb 22 July 1942 vol 382 cc21-2
26. Mr. Martin

asked the Minister of Information whether the war commentary given after the 9 o'clock news on 16th July, was submitted to his Department or to any Government Department before broadcast?

27. Mr. Granville

asked the Minister of Information whether his Department was responsible for the subject matter of the broadcast war commentary on shipping on Thursday evening 16th July; and whether this was an officially sponsored talk?

Mr. Bracken

This war commentary was not submitted to the Ministry of Information, and it was not an officially sponsored talk. The arrangements for it were made by the B.B.C. The script was discussed with the Admiralty before being broadcast to see whether there were any objections from the security point of view.

Mr. Martin

In view of the difficulty of having a broadcast on the same subject as a Secret Session on the same evening as the Secret Session, will the Minister see that in future great care is taken in regard to broadcasts in order to save Members from the embarrassment of being asked questions which it is difficult to answer?

Mr. Bracken

It was an unfortunate coincidence, but actually the broadcast was arranged about a fortnight before the Secret Session.

Mr. Granville

Is the Minister telling the House that his Department has no representative at the B.B.C.; has his Department no contact with the Admiralty in sanctioning these talks before they are made, and is he not himself really the higher authority referred to?

Mr. Bracken

I am not the higher authority referred to. The B.B.C. issue 3,000,000 words every week, and if I were to go into all the scripts I should not have time for my duties in the House. Indeed I should get the B.B.C. into such a state of confusion and chaos that I should be removed from my office.

Mr. Granville

Has the Minister a representative, has his Department a representative, at the B.B.C.?

Mr. Bracken

No, we have not a representative at the B.B.C., but we are in the closest possible contact with the B.B.C. We have no permanent representative there, because B.B.C. officials are con-constantly visiting the Ministry of Information.

Mr. Watkins

In justice to the broadcaster, can the Minister say whether all the information he disclosed on this occasion had not previously been disclosed in official and other papers?

Mr. Bracken

: I have not the faintest idea whether that be right or not. I did not hear the broadcast, so I cannot say.