HC Deb 17 October 1946 vol 427 cc1052-5
45. Mr. De la Bère

asked the Prime Minister whether he will now make a short statement setting out the work on which the Central Office of Information is engaged in connection with the publicity sections of Government Departments; and indicate if it is the Government's intention further to extend the scope of the Central Office of Information to deal with films, booklets, posters, advertising and exhibitions.

The Lord President of the Council (Mr. Herbert Morrison)

The Central Office of Information acts as the central Government agency for the preparation of material required by Departmental information services for use in this country and overseas. This already includes films, Press and poster advertisements, exhibitions and displays, photographs, books, pamphlets, and magazines. For overseas use, the Central Office also prepares reference papers and a daily service of comment and background news. The Central Office maintains a number of regional offices both for its own purposes—such as the distribution of official films to factories, clubs, and special groups—and for use by Departments which require regional publicity services. It provides machinery for the general distribution to the Press of official news originating in the Departments themselves.

The Central Office may make suggestions for publicity outside the scope of any one Department, and may carry this out when required. Generally, the information or public relations divisions of Departments and the Central Office work as a partnership in the conduct of the official Information Services. The Departments are responsible for policy and the provision of news, the Central Office for technical assistance and specialised production work.

Mr. De la Bère

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the heavy cost of maintenance of this Department to the taxpayer, and can he give an assurance that official news from the Department is not paid publicity along any biased party lines? This thing is a very great danger.

Mr. Morrison

I am aware of the cost, but we think it is in proportion to the public need. There is, however, no question of using these services, either detrimentally or otherwise, for party political ends. They are the citizen's right to know what is happening, and we do it as a public duty and not as a means of protecting the Government against criticism. We can do that for ourselves.

Mr. Warbey

In view of the fact that newspapers are devoting their increased allocation of newsprint to murder trials, sport, and advertisements, is it not highly desirable that the Government should have improved means of disseminating the true facts about the national peace effort?

Mr. Morrison

I must say that Mr. Heath had a very good show during the first week of the larger newspapers. However, that is a matter for the Press. What is clearly a necessity of modern, democratic, Government is that the public should have the means of knowing what is happening, and there is a duty, as well as a right, on the part of the Government to let them know what is happening.

Mr. Churchill

But ought that not to be done by the energetic action of Ministers and supporters of the Government, rather than through machinery which has been set up at the public expense?

Mr. Morrison

The machinery now existing is somewhat more modest than that which existed under the Prime Ministership of the right hon. Gentleman. What this machinery does is quite distinct from speeches by Ministers on the platform or, for that matter, from speeches by the Opposition at Blackpool. This is a matter of the citizen, the taxpayer, with all the complexities of modern legislation and administration, having the right to know what administration and legislation means, and what his rights are under the legislation. It is a totally different matter from controversial political speeches by leaders of political parties.

Mr. Churchill

But is it not a fact that during the war we had a national Coalition Government, officially representing all parties, and that the use of publicity in those days was for the essential purposes of national survival? Now that we have a two-party system again it is very questionable how far public funds and machinery, used in order to disseminate—(HON. MEMBERS: "Speech.")—I was only answering the very full and courteous reply of the Leader of the House. It is a different situation altogether in considering how far national publicity should be used.

Mr. Morrison

I admit that there is some difference when the nation is struggling for survival in war and when there is a general Coalition. On the other hand, that Coalition was not complete. There were some people who were outside it—

Mr. Churchill

And the right hon. Gentleman has not got to look very far, has he?

Mr. Morrison

That is very true. The right hon. Gentleman and other Ministers, including myself, had our critics inside Parliament and outside, but the fact remains that we must be careful not to go so far as in wartime. The trouble with the right hon. Gentleman is that he is persistently thinking that what he was entitled to do with impunity when he was Prime Minister this Government must not even look at.

Brigadier Mackeson

Does the right hon. Gentleman think it reasonable to spend £100 this year where we spent £9 before the war, on publicity?

Mr. Morrison

Before the war this admirable democratic service was in its infancy. Obviously, there had to be some development, but we are spending less than during the war, and rightly so.

Sir William Darling

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the considerable inefficiency in his Department, and has his attention been drawn to the fact that a retail grocer in the City of Edinburgh received three double crown posters asking his customers to stimulate the export trade?

Mr. Morrison

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will be good enough to return the posters, with full particulars, so that I can have full inquiries made.

Mr. De la Bère

In view of the fact that this position is thoroughly unsatisfactory, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter again on the Adjournment, at the first opportunity.