HC Deb 01 July 1942 vol 381 cc222-3W
Mr. R. Morgan

asked the Minister of Information what amount of newsreel material about China has been exhibited in Great Britain since China became an Ally; whether he is aware of the widespread ignorance in this country about our Chinese Allies; and whether he will give every assistance in putting this matter right?

Mr. Bracken

The Ministry of Information does not, of course, produce the newsreels exhibited in this country but it provides the newsreel companies with all the suitable material it can get. There have been films showing China's troops fighting in Burma, but efforts to obtain newsreel material direct from China have not so far been successful. I share my hon. Friend's wish that the British public should be well-informed about China, and a considerable number of Ministry lectures and B.B.C. programmes have, in fact, been devoted to the subject. My hon. Friend will recognise that the difficulty of communication is a severe handicap in the way of obtaining first-hand material.