§ 46. Mr. Peartasked the Prime Minister if, in view of the now restricted number of Press conferences held by Departmental Ministers, he will review the general position and encourage a return to the practice carried out by the previous administration.
§ Mr. CrookshankI doubt whether there is any general wish to change the present practice whereby Ministers or officials meet newspaper representatives as occasion demands.
§ Mr. PeartIs the Leader of the House aware that the Treasury have cut down on Press conferences, which were carried out by the previous Administration, explaining the general economic position, and is not he aware that very influential sections of the Press have publicly stated that the present practice is a bad one?
§ Mr. CrookshankNo, Sir, I am not aware of that. There has been no general complaint about the present arrangement, and I dare say that the need for Press conferences, as in this case, diminishes when the Government are doing well.
§ Mr. H. MorrisonIf the implication of the Lord Privy Seal's statement is that the economic situation is enormously better, may I ask him if he is aware that the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Local Government and Housing has just stated that the economic situation in 1953 is as bad as it was in 1950?