§ Q9. Mr. Bostonasked the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has had with the newspaper industry concerning its current difficulties.
§ The Prime MinisterNone, Sir.
§ Mr. BostonDoes not my right hon. Friend agree that the impending closure of the Sunday Citizen comes disturbingly quickly after the pessimistic forecasts in the Economist Intelligence Unit's recent report and any further closures will impair Press freedom? Does he not think that if the industry itself is reluctant to approach the Government it is now time that the Government themselves took the initiative in trying to seek a solution to this problem?
§ The Prime MinisterI agree that this decision is an extremely disappointing one. When the House last debated this matter, the Government took the view that the industry, which had asserted its ability to deal with the situation, must look after it. I agree that the industry itself should be considering the situation which has arisen in the case of this newspaper and which might arise in the case of other newspapers if this trend were to continue.
§ Mr. HoggAre we to understand from the original Answer that the account given by Lord Thomson of a recent discussion with the Prime Minister on this subject was not accurate?
§ The Prime MinisterLord Thomson himself described his account as a joke. A number of hon. Members, I believe, heard it given at a gathering downstairs. What I said to Lord Thomson, and I thought it right to say so, was to ask whether there was anything he could do to secure the viability of the paper. He has great expertise in the matter of commercial management of newspapers, securing advertising revenue and the rest. I never suggested, as some thought afterwards, that I was reflecting on the editorial quality or journalistic content of the paper.
§ Mr. Frank AllaunWill my right hon. Friend do something even at this twelfth hour to help the Sunday Citizen, as he promised to do not long ago?
§ The Prime MinisterThe problem of the Sunday Citizen, as we know, is of very long standing and has recently been intensified. It is not disconnected, I believe, despite its high quality, with the regrettably low circulation it has managed to achieve.
§ Sir G. NabarroHigh quality?
§ The Prime MinisterI said "high quality". Obviously the hon. Member does not read it. I do not believe the House as a whole would feel it would be right to intervene directly on behalf of an individual newspaper with a subsidy—most of the schemes proposed are for newsprint subsidies or pooling arrangements for advertising revenue. This must be a matter for the industry as a whole.
§ Mr. PavittHas my right hon. Friend given consideration to the whole question of the placing by Departments of Government advertising?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, this has been very carefully considered. In general the practice has been to do it on what might be called commercial grounds. In relation to advertisements which are designed to secure particular results—such as recruiting—a close examination—I have seen the figures—has shown that a more proportionate distribution would have made very little difference to the revenue position of the Sunday Citizen.
§ Mr. OnslowDo more of the right hon. Gentleman's hon. Friends subscribe to Tribune than to the Sunday Citizen?