HC Deb 02 July 1952 vol 503 cc426-8

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:

45. Mr. WIGG: To ask the Prime Minister whether he has considered the substance of the newspaper articles recently written by Mr. Alan Moorehead, a former Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Defence, to which his attention has been drawn and what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the publication of these articles does not involve a breach of the Official Secrets Act.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Winston Churchill)

I will with permission, answer Question No. 45.

I am informed that it was decided during the last Administration, with the then Prime Minister's approval, to give an established author enough access to official material, within the limits permitted by official secrecy, to enable him to write an accurate account of events concerning atomic espionage. The text of the articles was examined by the Departments concerned and there is no question of any breach of the Official Secrets Act.

Mr. Shinwell

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that if any reference was made to the Ministry of Defence on this matter of disclosure for the purpose of authorship it was not referred to the Minister?

The Prime Minister

The initiation of this project took place before I had to assume the burden of responsibility for public affairs.

Mr. Shinwell

Yes, but is the right hon. Gentleman not a little surprised to find disclosures of this kind in the Press which were not submitted—at any rate the material of which was not submitted—to the Minister in order to ascertain his views about publication?

The Prime Minister

I really think that is not a matter which particularly affects the present Administration. We followed the course which was being pursued, I think a beneficial course, a very right and proper course. I am by no means sure on the spur of the moment that the Minister of Defence, among other Departments, was not consulted in the final stages.

Mr. Shinwell

Then may I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman the present Minister of Defence, since assuming office, was consulted about this matter?

The Prime Minister

I think I might have notice of that question.

Mr. Wigg

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these articles reveal detailed methods of interrogation by security officers, and that therefore they must be prejudicial to the interests of the State? Will he take steps to see that any future articles that are published do not reveal such details?

The Prime Minister

A great deal of material is published here and also abroad on these delicate matters, on disputable matters, and it was thought right by the late Administration—and we fully share their views—that a truthful and substantive account of what had taken place should be put out in the form and manner which has been described. I must say that in Alan Moorehead—who I understand was at one time publicity officer to the Ministry of Defence—one could hardly have had a more trustworthy author.

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