SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD Thursday, 1st May 1941

Present :

D.G.

D.D.G.

Sir Maurice Peterson

Sir Kenneth Clark

Mr. Radcliffe

Mr. Bamford

Mr. Gates

Minister

Mr. Waddell (Secretary)

1. The Minutes of the meeting on 30th April were taken as read and approved.

2. ATTITUDE OF THE PRESS

Reference was made to minute 3 of the previous day's discussion about the danger involved in concealing shipping and other losses connected with the Battle of the Atlantic. The Minister referred to the reasons which had been given for stopping publication of the figures and it was understood that a proposal had now been put forward for publication quarterly instead of suppressing completely. It was generally agreed that this course would not be likely to find favour with the Press or the public; and it was decided, in regard to the publicity which had been undertaken for the Battle of the Atlantic, that the material collected should be shown to the Minister before any use was made of it.

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3. PRESS SUMMARIES

The Minister referred to the inadequacy of the Press summary he had seen the previous day which had failed to give due importance to the developing attack on the Propaganda policy of the Government. He referred also to “outstanding points” circulated to him later in the day; he felt that little or no time would be saved by using this summary, as compared with reading the papers themselves.

Mr. Bamford referred to earlier discussion on this subject (see minutes of meeting on March 4th) and to the general line of the reform agreed upon in discussion with Lord Davidson - namely that the main work of the Press Summaries Section should be in working to the specification of Divisions in the Ministry. It was agreed that there was no objection to particular topics being taken up as required, but that subject to this and to the views of Lord Davidson the Press Summaries should come to an end.

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