§ 32. Sir Leonard Lyleasked the Minister of Information whether the pre-censoring of the Brains Trust broadcasts includes censorship on policy grounds; and what steps are taken to ensure that a fair balance of political views is maintained?
§ Mr. BrackenThe views given in the Brains Trust programmes represent the personal opinions of the members taking part, expressed impromptu, and are broadcast as such. The programmes are subject to editorial scrutiny by the B.B.C. before delivery, but passages are not censored to make them conform with Government policy. As regards the second part of the Question, I am informed that, in selecting speakers, such as Members of Parliament, with known political views, the B.B.C. try to maintain a rough balance, but the Brains Trust is not intended as a political platform.