§ 27. Mr. Alpassasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the fact that since the 1st January last the Czechoslovak Government has prohibited the sale, through the usual trade channels, of "The Times," the "Daily Telegraph," the "News Chronicle" and other British newspapers to the British Council and the British Information Section of the British Embassy in Prague; and what representations he has made or intends to make to the Czechoslovak Government in order to get this prohibition lifted.
Mr. McNeilNo literal prohibition has been placed by the Czechoslovak Government on the sale of British newspapers by the State Agency to the Information Section of His Majesty's Embassy and the British Council Office in Prague. The import of the "Daily Mail" and the "Daily Graphic" into Czechoslovakia has, however, been banned till the end of 1949; and all newspapers are subject to a daily censorship. Issues 5W containing matter regarded as detrimental to Czechoslovakia or her Allies are confiscated; and the display of these in the Information and British Council reading rooms is forbidden. During December and January the proportion confiscated has been about 50 per cent. I regret to have to admit that my right hon. Friend does not think that representations to the Czechoslovak Government on this subject would be likely to serve any useful purpose.