351

SECRET
POLICY COMMITTEE
Tuesday, October 8th 1940

Present :

Minister

D.D.G.

D.S.

P.S.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Fraser

Lord Davidson

Mr. Bamford

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Gates

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Harvey

Mr. Leigh Ashton

Mr. Wiltshire (Secretary)

Mr. Ogilvie

Sir Noel Ashbridge

Mr. Valentine Williams

1. The minutes of the last meeting read and confirmed.

2. BROADCASTING SITUATION

The paper circulated was read. Mr. Wellington explained that the B.B.C. felt that the importance of broadcasting was not so well recognised by certain members of the Cabinet that in an emergency action might not be taken by other departments which would seriously prejudice the B.B.C. The Deputy Secretary pointed out that the paper had arisen out of the proceedings of the Policy Committee of September 12th. When the paper came to be written it had been found difficult to formulate definite requirements. It seemed that the troubles which arose were mainly incidents arising out of lack of appreciation of the importance of broadcasting in comparison with the more obvious claims of the Service Departments, rather than that some alteration was required in specific matters.

Sir Walter Monckton considered that the Cabinet would not have a clear idea of what the paper asked them to do. The various points, e.g. proper priority for their apparatus, proper attention to their needs for accommodation, proper consultation when transmission appeared to affect security, and so on, were matters which would normally be dealt with departmentally, or if agreement was not secured, between the two Ministers affected; the issues in themselves would not, except in the last resort, be suitable for the Cabinet. The Minister agreed with this view and thought that the various points should be taken further departmentally. The necessary letters should be written, in particular to the Ministry of Supply about priority, and the matter might be reported further to the Policy Committee if the response was unsatisfactory.

3. FOREIGN SERVICES OF THE B.B.C .

The Minister enquired whether the foreign services were now becoming fuller after their recent reduction in scope. Mr. Ogilvie said that the content was improving. He did not give any hope of the sections which had been evacuated returning since he held that decentralisation was very important and providing this could be done without loss of programme efficiency, the more decentralisation the better. The Minister asked whether Evesham could not be developed and then left as a 352 nucleus to which the sections could return if the emergency again arose. Mr. Ogilvie replied that this would risk a considerable gap in the services. It was the general policy at present to retain Broadcasting House as the Overseas headquarters, the other sections being the first to go out.

In the ensuing discussion it was noted that the telephone line to Evesham was not satisfactory. Mr. Valentine Williams suggested that an amplifier, such as was fitted at his country headquarters, might be used.

In conclusion the Minister asked that the B.B.C. should consult with the Ministry before moving any more of the foreign sections out. Mr. Ogilvie agreed in principle, but pointed out that a serious emergency might have to be met before full consultation was possible.