46. Mr. Glenvil Hallasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the reallocation of the duties formerly performed by the late right hon. Ernest Bevin as Lord Privy Seal, with particular reference to the answering of questions.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)Yes, Sir. The co-ordination of information policy, both home and overseas, including major questions of policy connected with broadcasting, will be the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations. Parliamentary Questions on information policy should be put down on the Order Paper to me, but I have asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations to answer such Questions on my behalf. Departmental Ministers will of course, continue to answer to Parliament for the information policy of their own Departments, and the Financial Secretary to the Treasury will answer Questions relating to the staffing, efficiency and methods of the Central Office of Information.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in his capacity as Leader of the House, will normally answer on my behalf Questions put down to me relating to Welsh affairs which are not within the province of Departmental Ministers.