POLICY COMMITTTEE
Thursday, 2nd January, 1941

Present :

Minister

D.G.

D.D.G.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Lord Davidson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Radcliffe

Mr. Fraser

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

Sir Stephen Tallents

Mr. Valentine Williams

Mr. Waddell (Secretary)

1. The Minister remarked that the meeting to be held on Thursday mornings, when he would be in the chair, might more properly be called a meeting of the Policy Committee rather than the Executive Board, and asked the D.G. to explain the intention behind the institution of the Board. The D.G. said he intended the Executive Board to be a small body of senior officers, who would be able to discuss questions of policy in a general and informal way, sometimes, on urgent matters, with a view to settling them forthwith, and sometimes, on important issues, with a view to bringing them before the meeting attended by the Minister, i.e. the meeting of the Policy Committee. Wherever possible meetings of the Policy Committee would have before them papers which had been circulated at least 48 hours in advance, but this would not preclude urgent business being raised at such meetings. As regards composition, he was not sure whether the Policy Meeting on Thursdays should include, as a matter of course, representatives of the B.B.C. and Electra House. He had felt it wise to limit the membership of the Board to himself, D.D.C., Sir Maurice Peterson, Lord Davidson, Sir Kenneth Clark and Mr. Radcliffe, with the assistance normally of Mr. Fraser, Mr. Wellington, Mr. Peake, and Mr. Cates, but it might be well to have the Policy Meeting more on the lines of the larger Policy Committee which had met in the past. The D.D.G. said that if such a meeting were held it would be desirable to invite Mr. Bamford and Mr. Macadam.

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The Minister accepted this description of the arrangements for meetings and agreed that attendance should depend on the business in hand. Officers eligible to attend should give notice to the Secretary of their intention to stay away if they felt the business arising did not closely concern them.

P.T.O.

2. The D.G. referred to a visit he had had the previous day from Mr. Harold Butler, the Regional Commissioner of the Southern Region, and Sir Arthur Willert, who had left with him a memorandum by the Labour Parliamentary Organiser in the Region, which raised the question of “women and the war”. This memorandum pointed out that women had in a number of ways borne the brunt of suffering among the civilian population, and drew attention to a number of concrete instances where the feeling had been expressed, particularly by working class women, that the war was hardly worth while and that we might as well end it now. A small National Committee under the Ministry of Information was suggested, including representatives of the main political parties and the T.U.C., which would plan and direct a national campaign giving special attention to problems faced by the ordinary housewife, laying as much emphasis as possible on practical points. It appeared that a long campaign was envisaged, including publicity by means of speakers at meetings and on the wireless, pamphlets, films, etc. One important point would be to emphasise strongly the evil consequences of concluding a premature peace.

[HP/]

It was agreed that for the Ministry to undertake such a campaign would be unwise. A great deal of trespassing on fields covered by other Government Departments would be involved and in any case special attention was already being paid to the position of women in as many ways as had been thought desirable. The B.B.C. were running at least three series at present which gave such special attention. These series and other measures undertaken had been arranged in close consultation with Dame Rachel Crowdy and with the W.V.S. It seemed difficult to intensify the effort which was already being made.

Sir Kenneth Clark agreed to supply a list of what had been done with special reference to the position of women; this would be supplied to Sir Arthur Willert with copies of any helpful material and he would be asked to submit practical suggestions for furthering the work.