HC Deb 10 April 1957 vol 568 cc1133-4
58. Mr. Osborne

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that the United States Government has recently started publishing 50,000 copies a month of an attractively illustrated magazine in Russian for circulation in Moscow depicting the United States way of life; and if he will take steps to have a similar journal published about the English way of life.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

I am aware of this American undertaking and the possibility of publishing a British periodical in the Russian language is under review.

Mr. Osborne

May I press my right hon. Friend to get on with this, since it is obviously important that the Russians should be able to see the way in which we live as well as the way the Americans live?

Hon. Members

What about the Scots and Welsh?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

This is something which is under review by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in his committee on overseas information.

Mrs. L. Jeger

Would not the light hon. Gentleman agree that when the Foreign Office used to publish Britansky Soyuznik in Russian it was very successful and sold 50,000 copies a week, and that it is a great pity that publication ever ceased? Will he try to hurry up the starting of some similar new periodical?

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

I have said that this matter is being looked at—

Mrs. Jeger

It is a long time.

Mr. Ormsby-Gore

—but the previous publication ran into very serious difficulties which many hon. Members opposite know about.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

Would my right hon. Friend consider, within the limits of the Question, adding a little Celtic flavour to this journal which is to be sent to Russia? There are some of us who notice that the word "English" is not all-embracing in these islands.