§ Sir H. Williamsasked the Minister of Information whether he will reconsider the present arrangements in connection with the recording of news pictures relating to the war, having regard to the fact that the present rota system much retricts the variety of the news-reel pictures that can be shown in public; and will he accordingly grant to news-reel companies the same amount of freedom as that which is enjoyed by the newspapers?
§ Mr. BrackenThere is no question of denying freedom to the news-reel companies. The rota principle was adopted with the concurrence of the Newsreel Association and the arrangements for operating it are the subject of weekly consultation with that association. Their aim is to provide opportunities for securing good material illustrative of the Allied war effort and for making it available to the largest possible public. Plenty of variety can be introduced by selection from the rota material available, by its manner of treatment and by supplementing it with non-rota items at the discretion of the news-reel company concerned.