§ Colonel DAYasked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the speech broadcast by the President of the Board of Trade, when inaugurating the British shopping week at Birmingham, which speech was of a contentious political nature; and whether such speech was reviewed or censored by the British Broadcasting Company before broadcasting?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONI understand that the speech on British Shopping Weeks which my right hon. Friend made on the 8th December (and not on 1st December, when he inaugurated the Birmingham British Shopping Week) was broadcast by the British Broadcasting Company from their London Studio. In accordance with the usual practice, a draft was submitted in advance to the company. The company did not consider that it contained anything to which objection could be taken, and they agreed to the broadcasting of the speech as a matter of general national interest. I am surprised to learn that any section of political opinion would desire to controvert the proposition enunciated by my right hon. Friend, namely that increased purchases of British goods, wherever circumstances permit this to be done, stimulate British industry and assist in relieving unemployment.