SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Tuesday, 14th January 1941

Present :

D.G.

D.D.G.

P.S.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Lord Davidson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Radcliffe

Mr. Fraser

Mr. Gates

Mr. Macgregor

Mr. Waddell - Secretary

1. The Minutes of the meeting on 13th January were taken as read and approved.

2. Mr. Fraser referred to the story about the Ministry in the “Daily Herald” for the previous day, which raised three main points for discussion:

(a) It appeared that the reporter had found difficulty in getting anyone to speak to him, except rudely, on Sunday last. Mr. Fraser felt strongly, and the meeting agreed, that it must be impressed on officers of the Ministry that civility to the Press was essential.

(b) Some misunderstanding appeared to have arisen about getting in touch with senior officers outside office hours. It was explained that the Duty Officer now has the addresses and telephone numbers of almost all senior officers, and that he would be the proper channel through which to put any requests for guidance. The Press Liaison Officer who saw the reporter in this particular instance should have been able to put him in touch with the Duty Officer. It was agreed that a note should be prepared on the arrangements for obtaining guidance from senior officers outside the normal hours of duty, and that this note should be brought to the notice of all those likely to be concerned.

[Withdraw]

[See January 21st item 3.]

(c) Discussion followed on the point which had brought the reporter to the Ministry in the first place, i.e. the complaint by the Mayor of Ilford about foolish questions which were being asked by the Ministry. It appeared that Home Intelligence were putting out each week two questionnaires, some of the questions in which could not be considered very satisfactory. It was explained that, following the trouble in the previous summer about “Cooper's Snoopers” it had been laid down that War Time Social Survey and any other agencies used by the Home Intelligence Division should do work for the Ministry only under 247 - 2 -instruction and only in response to requests from other Ministries. In all probability the question which had provoked the Mayor of Ilford was one to which we required the answer to assist the Board of Trade, but it seemed clear that the work was not being handled in a satisfactory way. After discussion it was agreed that the substance of the work was essential, though it might be necessary to have questions asked in a more cautious way; every effort should be made to drop the use of the word “morale”.

In the course of discussion it was further agreed that the problems of Home Intelligence could not be considered apart from Regional Administration. It was pointed out that the general instructions at present under consideration for R.I.Os. would help to maintain the authority of policy laid down at Headquarters, though it would not necessarily prevent the policy being adapted to local conditions. The Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that he had found the general opinion among Regional Commissioners to be that the machinery of Regional Information Officers was quite satisfactory. He and the Commissioners felt, however, that the Local Information Committees were a constant source of trouble and difficulty; no doubt the Mayor of Ilford's membership of the Local Information Committee accounted for the questionnaire he complained of coming into his hands.

It was agreed that the D.G. should examine the situation in regard to Regional Administration and Home Intelligence in a small meeting following on the Policy Committee on Thursday. He would like the assistance of the D.D.G., Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Macadam, Lord Davidson and Sir Kenneth Clark, if possible. He would have to see the Parliamentary Secretary before this meeting, and would also see Mr. Macadam.

3. Press Summaries

Mr. Fraser referred to the discussion about Press Summaries on Friday the 10th January, and said that since the questionnaire had been sent out in December, the number of requests for the use of the summaries had increased. He added that Mr. Macadam, who had not been present at earlier discussions, regarded the continuance of the daily summaries as essential. The D.G. agreed to see Mr. Macadam, bearing in mind the earlier discussions and the desirability of strengthening the Reference Section.

[I/97/6]