Dr. Bennettasked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the future of the Central Office of Information.
§ The Prime MinisterAt the end of last year, I asked Sir Gordon Newton to conduct a review of the aims and functions of the C.O.I. He did so, with the assistance of the Civil Service Department, between December 1970 and April 1971. I am greatly indebted to Sir Gordon for his valuable service.
I have decided, first, that the C.O.I. will continue in being, as a separate and distinct organisation, providing certain information services to Government Departments on a common service basis. Second, the trade fairs work of the C.O.I, will be transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry as soon as this can conveniently be arranged. It will thus fall into the area of responsibility to be assumed by the new British Export Board. Third, a review of activity within the C.O.I, will be put in hand forthwith, aimed both at cutting out any overlap and more particularly at reducing those activities which Departments 168W ask the C.O.I, to undertake by relating such activities more directly to specific objectives. Special attention will be paid to the overseas information effort.