SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Friday, 21st March 1941

Present :

D.G.

D.D.G.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Lord Davidson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Wellington

Mr. Gates

Mr. Bamford

Mr. Waddell (Secretary)

1. The minutes of the meeting on 19th March were taken as read and approved.

2. COMMITTEE LIST

The Committee List and the note by the Prime Minister dated 14th March, which had been circulated, were considered. The D.D.G. pointed out that as a result of the earlier intimation by the Prime Minister about the need to cut down committees a considerable reduction in those controlled by the Ministry had been effected. It was agreed that the Action Points Committee on page 2 of list I should be abolished and that the word “advisory” should be deleted from the title of the French and Italian Committees referred to on the same page.

[A]

In discussion on the numbers of persons attending committees it was agreed that the possibility of reducing the number attending Duty Room meetings should be borne in mind and that this point should be brought to the notice of Mr. Radcliffe on his return.

The D.G. asked that Controllers should pay special attention to the points made in the note accompanying the Prime Minister's minute about the responsibilities of chairmen for seeing that precise conclusions are reached at meetings and concisely recorded and that suitable follow-up action is taken wherever necessary.

3. REQUEST BY “PICTURE POST” FOR EXTRA PAPER FOR SPECIAL NUMBER

[Gp/86]

The paper by Lord Davidson which had been circulated was discussed and it was agreed that the request by “PICTURE POST” should be turned down; the reply being on the lines that in view of the difficult 363 - 2 -situation in paper supplies and the difficulty in which the Ministry might be placed in making exceptions we would not find it possible to accede to the request. It might be worthwhile to refer in the reply to the possibility of printing in America.

4. FILM OF THE LOFOTEN RAID

[F/256/205.]

The D.D.G. reported difficulties which were being caused by the attitude of the Newsreels and it was agreed that the Films Division should impress firmly on the distributing circuits, through whom the representations had so far come, that if they did not co-operate with the Ministry on this occasion, they would be laying themselves open to serious public criticism.

5. HOME GUARD FILM

[F/256/92.]

The D.G. referred to a suggestion that, particularly with a view to exhibition in America, a film of the Home Guard would be effective propaganda; Sir Kenneth Clark took note of the suggestion.