HC Deb 14 November 1939 vol 353 cc555-6W
Sir G. Jones

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Institute of British Photographers has called his attention to the fact that, as a consequence of the provisions of the Control of Photography Order (No. 1), 1939, dated 10th September, 1939, the business of commercial photographers has been rendered impossible, and the home and export trade thereby hampered; whether, as the work of such photographers consists entirely, or mainly, of objects of no military importance, he will relax the provisions of the Order in regard to them; whether he will grant permits to approved commercial photographers of a similar nature to those granted to Press photographers; and whether, in view of the fact that it has been found impossible in practice for commercial photographers to obtain the name or identity of the approved authorities and protected places mentioned in Clause 2 of the Order, he will make arrangements for them to be informed of names?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

A letter has been received from the Institute of British Photographers, but, so far as the work of commercial photographers is confined to objects of no military importance, the Control of Photography Order (No. 1), 1939, does not affect them. I will, however, consider, in consultation with the Director-General of the Press and Censorship Bureau, whether the system under which permits have been given to certain Press photographers for reasons of national importance can be extended to a suitable number of commercial photographers. It would be undesirable to publish a list of munition works and other places of vital importance, or the names of the authorities in charge, but the names can be ascertained by inquiry in any particular locality.