§ 45. Sir Waldron Smithersasked the Prime Minister if, in view of the facts, information and names that have been sent to him, he will intensify the purge of Communists and fellow travellers in such branches of the Civil Service and other governmental organisations of national importance as deal with business where security is essential.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)It is the Government's policy to ensure that no one known to be a member of the Communist Party, or to be associated with it in such a way as to raise legitimate doubts about his reliability, is employed in connection with work the nature of which is vital to the security of the State. That policy is being and will be resolutely pursued.
§ Sir W. SmithersIf I send the Prime Minister a book called, "British Socialism is Destroying British Freedom," by Cecil Palmer, will he undertake to read it? If he does, I think he will tighten up the regulations to stop Communists infiltrating into this country.
§ The Prime MinisterThe amount of time I can give to books of fiction is extremely limited.
§ Mr. Martin LindsayDoes not the Prime Minister think that the integrity of the teaching profession is vital to the future interests of the State? Does he really think it satisfactory that there should be over 2,000 members of the Communists employed as teachers?
§ The Prime MinisterI understand that members of the teaching profession have always laid great stress on the point that whatever their views may be they should not interfere with their teaching.