396

SECERT
POLICY COMMITTEE.
Thursday, 20th February, 1941.

Present:

The Minister

D.G.

D.D.G.

Parliamentary Secretary

Sir Maurice Peterson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Radcliffe

Mr. Bamford

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Fraser

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

Mr. Tree

Sir Stephen Tallents

Mr. Valentine Williams.

Mr. Herbert

Mr. Waddell (Secretary)

1. The minutes of the meeting on 13th February were taken as read and approved.

2. The Minister remarked that although there were no major points for discussion that morning he had thought it worthwhile to call a meeting. He reminded members of the Committee that even if they were unable to raise questions on paper in advance he did not mind important matters coming before the Committee orally.

3. B.B.C. ACCOMODATION.

It was understood that the work proceeding at Bush House was likely to be completed according to programme by the middle of March. As regards accommodation in big shops etc. some which had been examined had proved disappointing and the building it was now intended to ask the Ministry of Works to requisition was not wholly satisfactory in that the Dutch Government were using it as dormitories and considerable internal structural alteration would be required. Mr. Herbert intimated that on behalf of the Postal & Telegraph Censorship he had already put in a claim to the Ministry of Works for the same building.

[B/12/9.]

4. INSTRUCTION TO THE PUBLIC ON INVASION.

[GP/267.]

Sir Kenneth Clark explained in answer to the Minister that considerable progress had been made in the last day or two in extracting 397 - 2 -replies on important questions from the Ministry of Food and the Service Departments. He hoped it would ho possible at the meeting of the drafting Committee that morning to prepare a draft of the actual leaflet. It would then be necessary to show it to the Departments concerned.

The Minister said that the Prime Minister had been interested in a recent item on the subject in the DAILY TELEGRAPH and had asked to see the final draft of the leaflet. It was agreed that as an introduction to the leaflet would be required it would be worthwhile to suggest to the Prime Minister that it should be attached to the leaflet over his signature. Questions of additional paper and time required for this would have to be taken into account.

Reference was also made to the recent articles in the EVENING STANDARD which were being prepared in pamphlet form. It was agreed that it would be only fair to warn the STANDARD that the official leaflet was expected to be ready for distribution to the Press during the following week although the main distribution to householders might not be made until later.

5. The Minister referred to a letter he had written to the Prime Minister inviting him to see the posters which had been prepared for the “Careless Talk” campaign. It was agreed that the three films on the subject might also be shown to the Prime Minister and that the display of posters should include those rejected by the Planning Committee as well as those accepted.

[GP/109.]