HC Deb 17 January 1984 vol 52 c148
3. Mr. Greenway

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the information services of his Department.

The Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Mr. John Stanley)

Seventy-one service men and 268 civil servants are engaged in the information services of the Department and of the individual armed services. They are concerned primarily with informing the public about the Government's defence policy and of the activities of the armed forces.

Mr. Greenway

Will my hon. Friend ensure that his Department makes available suitable material to schools and educational and other institutions setting out the NATO and Western defence case, to ensure that there is a proper balance in peace studies and allied subjects?

Mr. Stanley

I assure my hon. Friend that publications from my Department to inform the public about various aspects of defence policy are freely available to teachers and those in the academic world who want to have the Government's view.

Mr. McNamara

Will the Minister take care to advise regular officers taking part in presentation schemes and teams that when speaking to the public they should not indulge in what might appear to be political polemics either about Governments or parties in this country or about the rulers of states abroad?

Mr. Stanley

As the hon. Gentleman is aware, the armed services have a strict tradition of party political neutrality. The presentations whereby the armed services seek to explain their respective roles that are carried on under this Government have been carried on under successive Governments.