HC Deb 24 May 1950 vol 475 cc2033-4
10. Major Tufton Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what work formerly done by the Czech Institute in London or by the Information Service of the Czech Embassy has ceased following the closing down of these organisations; and what work which they formerly did is still carried on, and by whom.

Mr. Ernest Davies

Since the Communist coup in Czechoslovakia in 1948, the Czechoslovak Institute in London has been inactive. Nevertheless, its continued existence offered an opportunity, of which the Czechoslovak Embassy could avail itself et any moment, of producing film shows and holding propaganda meetings. The main activities of the Czechoslovak Embassy's Information Service have been the production of a Czechoslovak News Letter and the distribution of literature imported from Czechoslovakia. These activities will now cease.

Major Beamish

Can the Under-Secretary say what sort of kick the Government get out of closing this nonexistent organisation? Is he aware that this gesture is just as empty as the gesture made in the case of the Hungarians, which I raised two weeks ago?

Mr. Davies

His Majesty's Government get no kick whatever out of this. We regret very much the action taken by the Czechoslovak Government which has driven us to take these retaliatory measures.

Mr. Sydney Silverman

In view of what he has said, would my hon. Friend reconsider this whole policy of so-called retaliation, bearing in mind that there are a great many people in this country who do not see why we should deprive ourselves of information because other people are foolish enough to deprive themselves of it?

Mr. Davies

It depends on what one considers to be information.

Major Beamish

Is the Minister aware that we are not depriving ourselves of information, which is proved by the fact that the "New Central European Observer," a particularly scurrilous weekly newspaper, to which some of his hon. Friends contribute, belongs to the Czech Government and is run by the Czech Embassy in London?

Mr. Davies

Yes, Sir. As I have stated on other occasions, it is not our policy to shut down on periodicals in this country. We consider ourselves sufficiently democratic to be able to afford to take the risk of receiving all forms of information.