§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that his circular 12412/12.2.48, requiring that essays by medical officers in the Colonial Service which it is desired to publish should be first submitted to him to ensure that nothing is published which might misrepresent the policy of the Colonial Governments, has caused misgiving amongst medical officers in the Service; and if he will recall this instruction.
Mr. Creech JonesNo information has reached me that this circular has caused misgiving. The Question implies that the effect of this circular was to impose a new general regulation about publications by medical officers in the Colonial Service. In fact, its purpose was to inform Colonial Governments of a generous offer by the National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis to award a prize of 100 guineas for an essay on the control of tuberculosis in Colonial Territories and the reference to the publication of essays was only incidental. One of the rules of the competition says that essays sent in shall become the property of the National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis and that any of them may be published at its discretion in the author's name. The circular drew attention to this and said that in order to ensure that nothing is published which might misrepresent the policy of Colonial Governments or of His Majesty's Government, the Secretary-General of the Association had agreed to arrange that essays which it is desired to publish should first be submitted to the Colonial Office. This conforms generally with Colonial Regulation 57, one of whose provisions is that an officer shall not, without the express permission of the Secretary of State or of the Governor, publish in any manner anything which may be reasonably regarded as of a political or administrative nature. I think it was right in the interests of all concerned to make this precautionary arrangement and I see no reason why it should be altered. I can assure the hon. Member that there is no intention whatever of fettering free scientific discussion.