308 309 - 2 -

SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Friday, 7th February 1941

Present :

D.G.

D.D.G.

P.S.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Lord Davidson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Radcliffe

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

Mr. Macadam

Mr. Waddell (Secretary)

1. The minutes of the meeting on the 5th February were taken as read and approved.

2. INSTRUCTION ON INVASION

Reference was made to comment in the Press about preparation of an instruction by the Ministry on what to do in case of invasion. A committee had been established under the chairmanship of Sir John Anderson, charged with responsibility for securing the answers from various departments to the questions the proposed leaflet would cover. It appeared that preparation of the draft in a form satisfactory to all the Departments concerned would take longer than the Press might be expecting, and it was agreed that the D.G. should suggest to the Minister (who was a member of Sir John Anderson's Committee) the need to represent to the chairman the danger of delay. The possibility should be borne in mind of issuing piecemeal instructions on specific points from the Ministry.

[6p/267]

Sir Kenneth Clark referred to the Committee, consisting of the Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Macadam, Mr. Leslie (Home Security) and himself which had prepared drafts for the “Stay put” leaflet and on similar occasions in the past. Drafting on these occasions had been difficult, and it was agreed that the most satisfactory means of having the draft ready as early as possible would be for this Committee (or whatever body was made responsible for drafting) to be treated as a Sub-Committee of Sir John Anderson's Committee or as part of his Secretariat. The D.G. said he would make a suggestion on these lines to the Minister.

3. The D.G. referred to a question he had been asked about the proportion of the B.B.C's. Foreign broadcasts devoted to French. In the view of Sir Maurice Peterson and Mr. Wellington the French broadcasts were satisfactory and adequate time and attention was being given to them.

[B/2/20]

4. DISCUSSION ON FORTHCOMING BROADCASTS

The D.G. said he would remind Lord Hood of the suggestion by Lord Davidson that Mr. Priestley might deal with the Mercantile Marine in his postscript on Sunday, 16th February.

[B/96]

He referred to an excellent script received from Mr. A.A. Milne stating the official view (as opposed to Mr. Priestley's views) on the questions of war aims. It was agreed that a postscript on these lines would be useful.

[B/6/22]

Reference was also made to the possibility of a broadcast by the Prime Minister on Sunday evening. It was agreed that the D.G. should ascertain what line the Prime Minister proposed to take. It might be useful from the point of view of the Ministry's relations with the Press if he could deal with invasion.

[B/18/2]

5. EMERGENCY NEWS SERVICES

Mr. Radcliffe said that certain of the R.I.Os. did not seem disposed to accept the definitions of the Ministry's responsibilities which had been approved by the Board and suggested to the R.I.Os. It was agreed that during the meeting of R.I.Os. it might be well to emphasise the Ministry's view. Whilst it was the business of the Ministry to see that the public was informed without delay of all necessary matters of public importance, and the Ministry was therefore concerned that newspapers should appear in the normal manner, it could not be a primary responsibility to maintain production of individual newspapers. It was important that there should be no misunderstanding on this point in the minds of the local Press.

[RC/191/5.]