Mr. De la Bère(1) asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons, and at what monthly or weekly cost to public funds, were employed by the Ministry of Information and on the Press, publicity and public relations staffs pf other Government Departments on 3rd July, 1941, and 3rd July, 1942, respectively;
(2) asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what steps have been taken to give effect to the undertaking given to the House by the Lord President, on 3rd July, 1941, that Press and public relations officers attached to Government Departments would pool their experience and act as a team for the Press and publicity work under the Ministry of Information; 1218W whether overlapping and duplication have been eliminated; and to what extent the number of persons employed by the Ministry and on the Press, publicity and public relations staffs of the other Government Departments has been reduced since 3rd July, 1941?
§ Sir K. WoodFollowing the statement to which my hon. Friend refers, a standing conference of public relations officers was set up in July of last year under the chairmanship of the Minister of Information for the purpose of providing opportunity for consultation between Departments and for the pooling of departmental experience. This conference now operates through sub-committees, which meet as required. These arrangements have been of material assistance in the coordination of Government publicity, and during the past year increased use has been made of the resources of the Ministry of Information by other Departments in connection with their campaigns for assisting the war effort. Departments were also asked to review the organisation and staffing of their publicity branches in order to give effect to the principles embodied in the statement of my right hon. Friend, the Lord President of the Council.
Comparative figures of numbers and cost of staff as at 3rd July, 1941, and 3rd. July, 1942, are given in the table below. The totals shown are in respect of whole-time staff (including technical, clerical and out-station staff) engaged on all branches of publicity work. The figures for the Service Departments include serving officers in home, but not overseas, commands. The figures for the Ministry of Information include all home staff, with the exception of staff employed in the Postal and Telegraph Censorship Department. Most of the figures of cost are approximate. The need for economy in staff is fully recognised and it was hoped that the new arrangements introduced in 1941 would enable reductions to be made. The prime purpose of the arrangements was, however, the promotion of efficiency in the conduct of Government publicity, and the increase in staff since July, 1941, reflects the continuous growth in Government publicity as a whole since that time.
Following is the table referred to: 1219W
Department. July 3rd, 1941. July 3rd, 1942. Numbers. Approx. monthly cost. Numbers. Approx. monthly cost. £ £ Treasury 1 140 1 140 Home Office and Ministry of Home Security 24 960 23 940 Foreign Office 12 630 11 590 India and Burma Office 16 530 19 640 Dominions Office 8 190 10 250 Colonial Office 6 220 7 290 Board of Education 3 170 3 180 Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries 40 930 59 1,380 Ministry of Economic Warfare 7 290 8 250 Ministry of Health 17 440 17 440 Ministry of Labour and National Service 27 1,040 40 1,360 Board of Trade 8 240 16 490 Ministry of Fuel and Power (formerly Mines and Petroleum Department) 2 80 5 170 Ministry of Food 46 1,560 68 2,000 Ministry of Supply 14 590 33 1,330 General Post Office 10 590 11 620 Scottish Home Department 6 230 6 230 Ministry of War Transport 7 380 13 470 Ministry of Works and Planning 4 130 14 420 National Savings Committee 76 2,370 90 2,950 War Damage Commission 2 80 2 90 Ministry of Pensions — — 2 90 Ministry of Aircraft Production 9 250 18 500 Inland Revenue — — 2 150 Admiralty 41(a) 2,530 76(a) 3,070 Air Ministry 165 6,630 210 8,170 War Office 232 7,770 269 8,620 Offices of the Minister of Production — — 5 120 Ministry of Information 1,857 50,000 2,576 60,540 Total 2,640 £78,970 3,614 £97,090 (a) Including a small number of staff engaged on censorship work whose activities cannot be clearly marked off from those of the rest of the staff.