§ 1. Mr. Dribergasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that in the 40-page March issue of the British Army magazine, "Soldier," there are 10 pages of advertisements and some 20 pages devoted to training material, and that this magazine is sold for 9d.; and if he will consider issuing it free to officers and other ranks applying for it.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for War (Mr. J. R. H. Hutchison)No, Sir. The magazine is deliberately run on a self-supporting basis and the cost to public funds if the hon. Member's suggestion were adopted would not, I think, be justified.
§ Mr. DribergCan the hon. Gentleman say whether the primary purpose of this magazine is entertainment or propaganda designed to produce more useful soldiers? If it is the latter, why cannot the suggestion in my Question be accepted?
§ Mr. HutchisonIt is hard to distinguish exactly between entertainment, training and advertising. Various articles, of 1438 course, have a different flavour. I was interested in the hon. Gentleman's calculation of the number of pages devoted to advertisements and to training. I wonder how he characterised the front page, which shows a picture of a Scottish piper in full dress, and the back page, which shows Miss Marilyn Monroe in something less than full dress.
2. Mr. Driberg askedthe Secretary of State for War what is his policy on the publication of advertisements containing political propaganda in the British Army magazine, "Soldier."
§ Mr. J. R. H. HutchisonParty political propaganda is not permitted in this magazine.
§ Mr. DribergIs not the hon. Gentleman perhaps inadvertently avoiding the point of the Question? I was referring to advertising. Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is an advertisement of a strongly anti-Socialist character, inserted by a so-called free enterprise organisation? Would an advertisement of a Socialist character be equally acceptable?
§ Mr. HutchisonMy attention has been drawn to the advertisement under the aegis of free enterprise, but I am in a little difficulty in seeing the strong party propaganda flavour in it, in view of the fact that similar advertisements have already appeared in the "Daily Mirror" and the "Daily Herald."
§ Mr. S. SilvermanCan the hon. Gentleman inform the House whether the advertisement recommending the virtues of free enterprise goes so far as to apply those virtues to the Armed Forces, and can he say what would happen to a soldier who attempted to practice the principles of free enterprise in the course of his service?
§ Mr. HutchisonSoldiers are always encouraged to show enterprise.
§ Mr. DribergWould the hon. Gentleman be good enough to answer the latter part of my supplementary question? Would an advertisement offered by, say, the Labour Party, occupying a half page, be acceptable?
§ Mr. HutchisonI have already said that clearly political propaganda would not be accepted in this magazine, and each case must, of course, be judged on its own merits.