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Ministerial Statements (News Leakages)

Volume 530: debated on Thursday 22 July 1954

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46.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is now in a position to make a statement arising from his investigations into how the mid-day editions of three London newspapers on Thursday, 15th July, contained full details of the statement that he subsequently made to the House of Commons, concerning the abolition of the Ministry of Materials.

I heard both that statement and the original statement that the Prime Minister made. But would he look again at "The Times" and the three mid-day papers, when he will see that they give full details of the statement which he made later that afternoon?

I have been looking into the past history of these matters and I find that the Leader of the Opposition, who is not in his place this afternoon, said, on 8th November, 1945, that the Labour Government could not be held responsible for intelligent or unintelligent anticipation or imagination in any section of the Press.

In the Prime Minister's reply and in his original reply he said that his Department bad informed the Press. Are we to take it that his Department is now responsible for giving, prior information to the Press?

When questions are asked about a subject, I think it is perfectly proper that the officer in charge of Press relations should say that a statement would be made in the afternoon. There is nothing in that.

If the right hon. Gentleman has still some unused material or ammunition left would he be good enough to let me know so that I can advise my hon. Friend to put down another Question?