§ 46. Mr. Edenasked the Prime Minister, whether, in view of the complaints made against the Bureau of Current Affairs as a result of their issuing poster No. 26 of 26th April, 1947, which contained objectionable references to friendly governments and matter of a party political character, he is satisfied that, in future, under the new arrangements, authority will not be given by the Army Council to the publication of similar objectionable matter.
§ The Prime MinisterI agree that the poster referred to by the right hon. Member should not have been issued for the purpose of compulsory education and I regret that it was. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War has now given instructions that no material to be used for this purpose in the Army is to be acquired from the Bureau of Current Affairs unless it has previously been approved on his behalf. I hope that this arrangement will avoid any further cause for complaint.
§ Mr. G. LangWill the Prime Minister bear in mind the inestimable services that this bureau has rendered [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] and also the fact that the criticisms are at least as frequent from the Left as from the Right?
§ Mr. SpeakerWe are only dealing with one poster, No. 26. We cannot deal with the whole question of policy.
§ Major Legge-BourkeIs the Prime Minister aware that this particular poster has also been exhibited in local food offices, and will he give some assurance that such posters as this will not be exhibited in offices run by His Majesty's Government?
§ The Prime MinisterObviously, that question should be put to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Food. I am not aware of it.
§ Mr. EdenWould the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to look into this? I am sure the Government cannot want propaganda of this kind to be issued in Government buildings. I am sure that the Prime Minister feels that. This is the first I have heard about food offices. Will the right hon. Gentleman consider that 435 all Government Departments should treat this matter equally and be responsible for the non-party character of publications they issue?
§ The Prime MinisterI was not aware that this bureau was being used by the Food Ministry. As I understand it, this bureau was originally run by the War Office. At the end of the war it became a private firm and it has been utilised since by the War Office. Obviously, in utilising the productions of a private firm, there should be the very greatest care taken by Government Departments.
§ Mr. Kenneth LindsayIs the Prime Minister aware that this is a voluntary body which has a contractual basis with many educational bodies, including three-quarters of the education authorities in this country; and is he also aware that for a whole year they have issued matter dealing with current affairs with growing approval and without any complaint? I agree that this matter was controversial but it is no disrespect to an organisation which is doing valuable work.
§ The Prime MinisterI am only dealing with a particular instance of' where a Government Department has had certain matter sent to it which it used and which I think it ought not to have exhibited.
§ Mr. EdenWould the right hon. Gentleman endorse these words as a description of the view of public opinion on conscription:
Originally the force of Churchill tanks were lined up with the main Government armies against an opposition made up of Liberal Crusaders, together with a mixed force of Socialist moral rearmament and flamethrowers.