§ Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieuasked the Lord President of the Council whether he has studied the proposals put forward by the newspaper proprietors for the establishment of a Press Council; whether he is aware that these proposals are not in accord with the recommendations of the Royal Commission; and whether he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. H. MorrisonYes. I have observed that, as they stand, the proposals depart in important respects from the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Press, and are in conflict with the Motion which the House unanimously approved on 28th July, 1949, to the effect that it would welcome all possible action on the part of the Press to give effect to the Commission's conclusions and recommendations. They are still, however, in draft form, and I gather that they may be unacceptable to the organisations which represent editors and other journalists. I assume that they will be discussed further with these bodies with a view to the production of an agreed scheme, and in these circumstances, I do not think that it would be appropriate for me to comment upon them at this stage.
As I have informed the Director of the Newspaper Society, who was good enough to send me a copy of the draft proposals, I hope, of course, that on a matter which is of great importance to the community as a whole and to working editors and journalists as well as proprietors, it will be possible to reach general agreement on revised proposals which, in all essential respects, give effect to the recommendations of the Royal Commission.