§ Q1. Mr. Milneasked the Prime Minister what progress has been made in the field of Government information services since the appointment of the Economic Secretary to the Treasury as assistant to the Minister of Housing and Local Government in respect of his responsibilities for these services.
§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Harold Macmillan)The work of co-ordinating the official information services has been assisted by the new arrangements.
§ Mr. MilneI thank the Prime Minister for that reply. Does he still consider it wise to have taken a Minister from an important Department during an economic crisis in order to bolster up Government affairs? Further, in view of the point which we made about Colin Hurry being consulted when we put a previous Question to the Prime Minister, does the fact that the Government are now considering the use of a market research firm for an inquiry into the Orpington by-election indicate that this was the case?
§ The Prime MinisterI thought that we should get to Orpington, though we were an awful long time doing so. The hon. Gentleman's distinction as a party propagandist has led him to misunderstand the nature and purpose of official information services.