§ 19. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that the commanding officer of a R.A.F. station, of the identity of which he has been informed, recently forbade a local newsagent to supply "The Times" newspaper or the "Daily Worker" to R.A.F. personnel, and that it was only after some delay that "The Times" was again provided in the N.A.A.F.I. reading-room and the messes; if the "Daily Worker" is now once more delivered at this R.A.F. station to such airmen as desire to purchase it; and if he will state the reasons for this discrimination against these two papers.
§ Sir A. SinclairI am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing my attention to this case. The action taken by the commanding officer was unauthorised, and steps have been taken to ensure that both the newspapers referred to are freely available for purchase at the station in question.
§ Sir H. WilliamsWas the action of the officer influenced by my description of "The Times" as a threepenny edition of the "Daily Worker"?