HC Deb 01 July 1953 vol 517 cc395-6
50. Mr. Callaghan

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why he requested the British Broadcasting Corporation to cancel a light-hearted talk by a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve rating about his training experiences.

The First Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. J. P. L. Thomas)

This is a matter between the Admiralty and the rating, and not between the Admiralty and the British Broadcasting Corporation. In accordance with the Regulations, a draft script of the talk was submitted by the author for Admiralty approval. This was withheld because of the contents of certain passages, but the Admiralty are prepared to reconsider the script after amendment by the author.

Mr. Callaghan

Is the First Lord really going to set himself up as a censor of taste? Is it not the case that no security Regulations are involved here at all?

Mr. Thomas

That is quite true. As the hon. Gentleman says, this is not a security question but only a question of taste. There were certain paragraphs in the proposed talk, certainly about elderly ladies who were guests on board Her Majesty's ships, which were hardly up to the Admiralty's standard as hosts.

Mr. Callaghan

Does the First Lord really think that it is his duty, in the case of a civilian who is doing training with the Navy as a R.N.V.R. rating, to come between him and the B.B.C. in regard to the text of this talk, which was acceptable to them in terms of taste and humour, and forbid its publication?

Mr. Thomas

Under the Regulations in regard to ratings of the R.N.V.R., which have been in existence a very long time, the B.B.C. are not in a position to accept a talk of this kind. It was at the request of the author himself that the B.B.C. sent the text of this talk to the Admiralty for their comment and approval.

Mr. Marlowe

Could not this sort of difficulty be avoided if there were an alternative form of television?

Mr. Dugdale

As the right hon. Gentleman has said that it was the Admiralty that censored these words, will he state exactly what the words were to which the Admiralty took exception?

Mr. Thomas

I do not propose to read the actual words to the House. [HON. MEMBERS: "Why not?"] Because if the words had been broadcast they would have made people mentioned in this talk definitely identifiable, and I repeat that it would not have been in keeping with the Admiralty's reputation as hosts.

Mr. Speaker

This is more a matter for a debate on the adjournment.

Mr. Benn

Is it in order for me to ask the Minister to put the censored passages in the Library of the House?

Mr. Speaker

I have nothing to do with that. My control of the Library does not extend to that.