§ LORD WINSTER asked whether His Majesty's Government is satisfied that B.B.C. announcements of mine-laying operations by Bomber Command do not afford information of value to the enemy. The noble Lord said: My Lords, I am not one to make heavy weather of the subject of my question, but I should like to say a brief word in explanation of it. When the First Lord recently introduced the Naval Estimates, he made an oblique reference to mine-laying operations undertaken by the Navy, and quite rightly emphasized the fact that mine-laying operations are amongst the most secret carried out by the Navy. On that account he did not give very much information to the Home of Commons concerning those operations. But, while the First Lord emphasized the necessity for secrecy about mine-laying, the B.B.C. repeatedly make announcements in their news bulletins about mine-laying operations carried out by Bomber Command. The announcement is usually in the form: "Aircraft of Bomber Command laid mines in enemy waters last night," or words to that effect.
§ This question of mine-laying in connexion with the war against U-boats is very important, because the history of the last war shows that mines destroyed more German submarines than any other weapon, and the Germans had to maintain a very large force of mine-seeking and sweeping craft to search the channels corn the U-boat bases. Frequently the weather was bad, and, when that was the case, U-boats were held up for days and even weeks by fear of mines, because the sweeping operations could not be carried out. I gather that in this war mines have proved much less effective against the U-boat. I really wonder if mine-clearance work by the enemy is simplified by the publicity department of the Air Ministry when it permits these announcements about mine-laying operations to be made. It seems to me that the enemy can wait until one of these convenient announcements is made and then he can get on with his sweeping; otherwise these mine sweepers can take a rest from sweeping.
§ Several naval officers and several pilots concerned in mine-laying have frequently expressed their objections to the publication of this information, but, owing to the 638 complexity of the existing organization and the many different authorities involved in the matter, it has hitherto appeared to be impossible to get this routine altered. Information of all sorts is withheld from our own public on the ground that it might be of value to the enemy, although many of us think that it is information which would stimulate our own war effort and give no assistance to the enemy at all. Then again, people have frequently been fined and imprisoned—quite rightly and properly—for making technically improper but in fact harmless remarks about the movement of ships. Then why make these announcements? We do not need news items of this sort to impress upon our minds the admirable work performed by Bomber Command. We all know that Air-Marshal Harris is a man who keeps no cats which do not catch mice, and if he cannot employ his bombers in one way he will most certainly be employing them in another. But I cannot see that these announcements do any good, even if they do no harm. Therefore, to clear up misapprehensions which exist in the minds of naval officers and pilots, I suggest that the time has come when the B.B.C. might cease to make these announcements.
§ THE JOINT PARLIAMENTARY UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR (LORD SHERWOOD)My Lords, the announcements to which the noble Lord refers in his question are based on communiqués issued by the Air Ministry, with the concurrence of the Admiralty. There is no question of any difference between the two; they are issued with the concurrence of the Admiralty. His Majesty's Government are satisfied that they disclose no information of value to the enemy. Of course, the B.B.C. broadcasts on this subject are reproductions in the News of the Air Ministry communications relating to mine-laying. I will not go into the various reasons why the announcements are made, but I can assure your Lordships and the noble Lord, who quite rightly takes a strong interest in this matter, that there is no question of their giving information to the enemy. The announcements are not made on every occasion, and in fact it is only when we know that the enemy are fully aware where the mine-laying has taken place that the information is given out. As to the advantages of the practice, there is 639 the big question of the morale of pilots in this service, which is a very big one, and that is one of the reasons why the information is given
§ LORD WINSTERMy Lords, I beg to thank the noble Lord. I felt sure that there was a good explanation, and I think the very full reply which has been given will remove the apprehensions of which I spoke.