HC Deb 16 November 1954 vol 533 cc187-8
1. Mr. Wyatt

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has studied the information sent to him by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Aston, regarding the details given in the past by his Department concerning cinemas which have not fulfilled their quota requirements, irrespective of justification for such failure; and whether he will make a further statement.

The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Peter Thorneycroft)

Yes, Sir. I am grateful to the hon. Member for reminding me, in the information he sent me, that I did, on one occasion, name 23 cinemas out of some 770 which had not achieved their first feature quota requirements. I consider that this course was wrong and would not propose to repeat it. It has never been the practice of the Board of Trade, under this or the previous Government, to issue such a list of cinemas as the hon. Member has asked for, since failure to achieve quota does not necessarily involve an offence, but might later have to be investigated by a court.

Mr. Wyatt

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that many people think that his previous course was right? Is it not a fact that two years ago one could ask him any question about the association of a member of the Film Council with cinemas failing to fulfil their quotas, or names of those defaulting cinemas, and get an answer, and that today he will not give any answer? Should he not abandon this policy of putting secrecy between offenders against the law and the public?

Mr. Thorneycroft

Perhaps I have grown a little cautious as I have grown older, but I am thankful to the hon. Member for having given me notice of this. It is quite plain that I should not have given that information, and I do not intend to do so in future.

Mr. Swingler

Why should the Minister keep secret the names of those who fail to fulfil the quota? What is the argument for the secrecy?

Mr. Thorneycroft

These returns are based on confidential returns, and neither the previous Government nor this Government have made a practice of publishing such information.