§ 45. Mr. Skeffington-Lodgeasked the Prime Minister whether he will consider commissioning small teams of Members of Parliament to give factory and other talks in the industrial areas of the country, with a view to explaining in simple language the problems associated with the nation's recovery.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)I certainly hope that Members of all parties will take every opportunity of explaining these problems in factory talks, and in their speeches. I think, however, that Members would prefer to make their own arrangements for addressing audiences on the nation's economic problems, whether in their own constituencies, or elsewhere. The Central Office of Information can supply Members with the material necessary for such speeches if they so desire. The Central Office of Information is in addition providing speakers to give explanatory talks to factory and other interested audiences.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydWill the right hon. Gentleman seriously consider issuing to all Members of the House, in order that they will have adequate material, the speech made two years ago by the Minister of Food telling the workers not to work harder after the war, or the bosses would reap the profits?
§ Mr. David JonesWould the Prime Minister consider publishing such speeches 1397 as those made by the hon. Member for Mid-Bedford (Mr. Lennox-Boyd) in order that the public may see what is being said?
§ 46. Mr. Sorensenasked the Prime Minister, in view of the fact that the recent statement on manpower and economic resources is not fully understood by a section of the population, whether he will publish a further edition of the statement with simplified language and effective diagrams.
§ The Prime MinisterA plan of regular publicity to spread the knowledge contained in the Economic Survey is now in preparation, and will include other more effective means than the publication of further pamphlets. If, in the light of our experience, it appears that further pamphlets can be helpful, the matter will be reconsidered.
§ Mr. SorensenMay I ask my right hon. Friend whether, in view of the fact that a large section of the population prefer newspapers or weekly journals to talks and diagrams, it would not be well to follow that example and have different editions of the White Paper published to different sections of the community?