HC Deb 13 April 1949 vol 463 c2823
32. Lieut.-Commander Clark Hutchison

asked the Lord President of the Council why an independent person having no previous connection with the British Broadcasting Corporation was not appointed to act as chairman of the forthcoming committee of inquiry.

Mr. H. Morrison

Sir Cyril Radcliffe was chosen as being particularly well fitted for the chairmanship of this committee. Far from being a drawback, the knowledge of the British Broadcasting Corporation which he obtained as Director-General of the Ministry of Information and later as deputy-Chairman of the Corporation's General Advisory Council should be of great assistance to him in conducting the inquiry. Any suggestion that Sir Cyril is not independent of the Corporation is quite unfounded.

Lieut.-Commander Hutchison

Does not the Lord President think that a completely neutral person would have brought greater confidence to the public?

Mr. Morrison

Any suggestion that Sir Cyril Radcliffe is not neutral is unfounded and unkind. He is a perfectly neutral person and I have the utmost confidence in his impartiality as chairman of this committee.

Mr. Marlowe

If the right hon. Gentleman believes in the impartiality of chairmen, why does that not apply to the London County Council?

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