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SECRET
POLICY COMMITTEE
17th July 1940

Present:

D.G.

D.D.G.

D.S.

P.S.

Lord Perth

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Kirkpatrick

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Bamford

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

Mr. Wiltshire (Secretary)

Lord Davidson

Mr. Cowan

Mr. Beddington

Mr. Vaughan

Mr. Francis

Mr. Martin

Mr. Radcliffe

Mr. Lints Smith

Sir Frederick Whyte

Mr. Hodson

Sir William Clark

Mr. Ryan

1. POLICY WITH REGARD TO OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

It was noted that the B.B.C. had prepared some suggestions as to the manner in which they should be given authority to edit and adapt communiqués issued by other Government departments in order to make them most effective. The Minister would shortly consider the paper.

Sir William Clark reported a discussion with Captain Brooking of the Admiralty in which the latter suggested that there should be some person of standing in the B.B.C. who would always be available to advise on the presentation of the matter in B.B.C. news bulletins, referring in doubtful cases to the Department concerned.

Mr. Wellington asked that the paper, if circulated by the Minister, should remind Departments of their obligation to publish all announcements through the Ministry of Information.

2. OVERLAPPING OF REPORTS

The lists circulated were considered. It was explained that the list of recipients was not up-to-date, but that the reports listed were (with one or two exceptions) all in existence. Taking the reports in order the following observations were made:-

(i) External Reports Received in the Ministry

Nos. 1,2,3 & 4 : Lord Perth felt that 2 and 4 traversed the same ground to a certain extent. Their distribution was, of course, very different.

No. 8 : Generally it was considered that the Chatham House Weekly Review was of little use to the Ministry. The American Section was of subsidiary value, but the sources of information open to the American Division were such that neither that nor Lord Lothian's weekly telegram nor the American Section of the Electra House Report contributed anything vital to their knowledge of the situation and did no more than act as corroboration. It was decided that this point should be pursued i.e. that the Foreign Office should be informed that the summaries were not required, that we should look into the use of No. 9 afresh, and also investigate the use of the American part of the Electra House summary.

No. 14 : Some doubt as to the value of this was expressed. It was explained that as it was compiled by Electra House and was moreover sent to the Cabinet we were not free to deal with it without consultation. The opinion was expressed that the B.B.C. Monitoring reports were of greater value.

Nos. 15,16 & 17 : The Director General stated that after a recent visit to Liverpool it had been decided that these reports should be reconsidered. (No. 16 has already been discontinued).

(ii) Material Produced in the Ministry for Use Outside.

Daily Report on Morale: The Director General said that the view had been expressed that this daily report might with advantage be made a weekly one. Mr. Nicolson observed that the Ministry of Home Security were collecting a number of examples of alleged errors of fact and judgement in these reports and tended to take an unfavourable view of them. Mr. Macadam said that he had recently come to an arrangement with General Elles of the Ministry of Home Security that the latter Ministry should put all their intelligence material at our disposal: they had agreed in principle that the Daily Intelligence should be the only report on the subject. Referring to Mr. Nicolson's points he said that there was some difficulty in compiling the reports which necessarily dealt with matters of criticism of other Departments. Some of these tended to regard them as unjustifiable criticism by another Department, but at the same time they asked to see them. Mr. Ryan said that the B.B.C. thought these daily reports of considerable value.

After discussion the Committee generally felt that the Daily Report might well be continued as a document for internal consumption only and that a weekly review might be prepared for circulation to other Government Departments. It was mentioned that there was a question in the House that the Reports should be made available for the Members of Parliament, but it was agreed that this could not be done as they contained valuable material for enemy propaganda. Mr. Macadam undertook to consider the views of the Committee and report what future arrangements he suggested.

(iii) Material Provided in the Ministry for Use Outside .

Sir Kenneth Clark reported that the Planning Committee had recently considered the various items. (1) Clip-Sheet : Mr. Lints Smith said that he would shortly be making recommendations. (2) & (4) Sir Kenneth Clark said that Talking Points was extremely valuable and that something more of the same sort was required to prime speakers in this country. After discussion it was suggested that Talking Points should be modified with this particular purpose in view. Mr. Kirkpatrick said that a version so modified could be accepted for foreign use. Notes for Speakers was considered to be very good but voluminous. Owing to pressure of time the remaining publications were not discussed.

3. PAMPHLET ON WAR AIMS

Mr. Nicolson reported that after discussion with the Minister it had been decided that a memorandum should be put up to the Cabinet pointing out that it was not possible to meet the forthcoming peace offensive unless the Cabinet could decide on a far reaching policy. He mentioned federalism for foreign policy and socialism at home.