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SECRET
POLICY COMMITTEE
18th July 1940

Present:

Minister

D.G.

D.D.G.

D.S.

P.S.

Lord Perth

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Kirkpatrick

Mr. Peake

P.P.S.

Mr. Ogilvie

Mr. Ryan

Mr. Valentine Williams

Mr. Willert

Mr. Wiltshire (Secretary)

1. POLICY WITH REGARD TO OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

In answer to a question Mr. Ryan stated that at present the B.B.C. did not re-edit any of the bulletins on the home side but did so to some extent on the Foreign and Empire side, chiefly because of the time factor. He gave as an example of the material with which the B.B.C. have to deal a report of an air raid, which might take the form of an R.A.F. communiqué, a hand out, a Home Security communiqué or an agency message which had been passed by the censor. The obvious course would be to summarise them. He thought that A.I.6 would agree to this. The Director General observed that the B.B.C. proposals went further than the proposals which had been agreed by the Ministers. The Minister considered that there would be no need to go to the Cabinet if we could reach agreement with the Service Departments. It was decided that the B.B.C. should attempt to reach agreement on the basis of the document circulated, and if it was reached all Departments concerned should be informed.

2. DRAFT LEAFLET TO BE HANDED TO ENEMY ALIENS ON INTERNMENT

The suggested leaflet was discussed. The following amendments were suggested:-

For “The Security of the State is the supreme law” read “In wartime the security of the State must be of paramount importance.”

For “the internment of all enemy aliens” read “the internment of aliens who are nationals of countries with which we are at war” or words to that effect.

In the paragraph beginning “Unfortunately, there is every reason …..” add a reference to friendly aliens who by reason of enemy pressure on their relations are not free agents.

(3) “that living conditions ....” alter in order not to convey the impression that living conditions will be permanently capable of improvement.

It was further suggested that it should be implied that internment was not a humiliation.

It was agreed that a Committee consisting of Mr. Nicolson Mr. Valentine Williams, Mr. Macadam and Mr. Kirkpatrick should redraft the letter and that it should be reconsidered next Monday.