§ Mr. Leslie Haleasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) why he took steps to institute proceedings as a result of which the current issue of the Nouvel Observateur was seized in Paris last week; and whether he will make a statement; (2) why steps have been taken to prevent the free circulation of the Nouvel Observateur in the United Kingdom; and whether he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MacDermotI have been asked to reply.
133WThe Stationery Office, through its agents in France, instituted proceedings in the French Courts on 3rd June, 1966, to avert a threatened infringement of Crown Copyright in S.O.E. in France by an article which had been announced for publication in the issue of the Nouvel Observateur for the week beginning 6th June.
The issue was not in fact seized and it appeared without the article in question.
No steps have been taken to prevent the free circulation of the Nouvel Observateur in the United Kingdom.