§ 24. Mr. de Freitasasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will arrange for the public exhibition of the Home Office Civil Defence film showing the devastation which would be caused if a hydrogen bomb were dropped on London which was shown privately earlier this week; and whether he will offer the film to the United States and Soviet authorities for public exhibition.
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeThis is a Civil Defence training film. It is not primarily designed for public showing, but 16 milli-metre copies will be available for hire from the Central Film Library from 20th June and the film has been brought to the notice of the British Broadcasting Corporation.
The film does not deal specifically with the effect of a hydrogen bomb on London or any particular city. It has been shown to representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries, and a copy has been lodged in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Civil Defence library. I do not think any wider distribution abroad is called for.
§ Mr. de FreitasIt may not be called for, but is it not desirable, if the film shows dramatically the consequences of hydrogen bomb warfare, that it should be exhibited? Should we not do everything we can to see that it is exhibited as far as possible among people of all countries which have the power to wage such war?
§ Major Lloyd-GeorgeI am not quarrelling with the idea of the hon. Member, but at the moment this is the only distribution on which we have decided. I will look into the matter.