§ 46. Mr. Hoggasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that the Minister of Education will contribute an article on manpower to the "Evening Standard," he will indicate what are the rules now in force regarding contributions to the Press by Ministers.
§ 47. Mr. Wilson Harrisasked the Prime Minister whether the fact that the Minister of Education is contributing an article to the "Evening Standard" on the subject of manpower indicates that the policy of the Government regarding contributions to the Press by Ministershas been changed.
§ The Prime MinisterThere has been no change in the long-established policy that Ministers should not practise journalism. This rule does not debar Ministers from writing articles or letters to the newspapers in order to supplement other methods of informing the public of the work of their Departments. On this occasion all that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Education did was to grant an interview to a newspaper correspondent on the effect if raising the school leaving age.
§ Mr. HoggIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the feature in question was advertised as if it were one of a series of articles, and that today's evening Press 936 contains two main features in such a form as to lead the casual reader to suppose that both are articles by leading Cabinet Ministers, and will he see that his colleagues make themselves responsible for seeing that newspapers which publish interviews from them do not disobey the spirit of the rule?
§ The Prime MinisterI am afraid I have not had time to read the afternoon papers today, but I did see in the "Evening Standard" a very full statement explaining exactly how this had arisen, and that it was a mistake to suggest that this was an article when, as a matter of fact, it was an interview. I really thought that that had concluded the matter.
§ Mr. Wilson HarrisIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that my Question was based on a statement in Monday's "Evening Standard," of which I have for purposes of greater accuracy obtained a copy, to the effect that a series of articles was to be published by the right hon. Lady the Minister of Education?
§ The Prime MinisterI am aware of that, but no doubt the hon. Member will have seen that a very handsome explanation was given by the "Evening Standard" in the following issue.
§ Mr. Wilson HarrisIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the "Evening Standard" suggested that I was mistaken, and that that is not handsome at all?
§ Mr. McAllisterAre not these misrepresentations by the Beaverbrook Press suitable subjects for a Press inquiry?
§ Mr. HoggIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a Question on a subject of this kind is not necessarily a criticism?
§ The Prime MinisterI was quite aware of the spirit in which this Question was put.