§ 37. Mr. Liddallasked the Minister of Information what instructions are issued to his local officers on the subject of the invitations to be addressed to Members of Parliament to take part in functions by his Ministry in their constituencies.
§ Mr. BrackenRegional Information Officers are instructed to invite to any public meeting organised by the Ministry the Member of Parliament for the constituency in which the meeting is held. In the case of exhibitions, film-shows and similar functions, an invitation is normally sent to the Member of Parliament only if the function is an important one or if there is reason to believe he would be interested.
§ Mr. LiddallIs the Minister aware that, in some cases, the Member of Parliament for the constituency and also the Mayor of the borough were not invited to these important functions?
§ Mr. BrackenI wish that my hon. Friend would give me some details about the failure of the Ministry's officers to invite the Member of Parliament and the Mayor of the borough. The popularity of these functions is highly embarrassing to the Ministry of Information, and I should think will be in the end, to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.