439

SECRET
EXECUTIVE BOARD
FRIDAY. MAY 7th, 1943.

PRESENT:

The Director General

The Parliamentary Secretary

The D.D.G.

Mr. Francis Williams

Mr. Gates

Mr. Grubb

Mr. Royds

Mr. Cruikshank

Mr. Carter

Mr. Grisewood

Mr. Ryan

Commander McLeod

Colonel Treadwell

Admiral Carpendale

Mr. Lyne

1. REPORTS FROM SERVICE ADVISERS.

2. B.B.C. AND OFFICIAL NOTICES.

[B/]

Mr. Lyne drew attention to the B.B.C.'s utilisation of the Press Association's version instead of the official wording of an official notice dealing with the directing of Fire Guards into the Home Guard. He recalled a similar instance within the past month and enquired whether it was not incumbent on the B.B.C. to adhere to the wording of the official hand-out in such cases. Mr. Ryan explained that official notices were often barely intelligible to the layman; that it was the practice of the B.B.C. editors to endeavour to secure clarification if necessary from the department concerned; but that it was a frequent experience to find no competent officer on duty. The Chairman invited him to enquire into this particular case.

3. MINISTRY OF WAR TRANSPORT FIGURES.

[M/205.]

Mr. Gates reported the salient points of a note on rail traffic restrictions and their results, recently submitted to the Lord President's Committee. The Board felt that there might be a case for publicising a selection of the figures; and the Chairman instructed Mr. Carter to make enquiries at the Ministry of War Transport.

4. OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION.

[/LE/19.]

Mr. Royds reported that the O.W.I. had enquired whether the Ministry would make available to them its list of the recipients of the Ministry's “Clip- sheet”, as they were planning to start a similar publication; and enquired whether this request should be complied with. The Chairman pointed out that this raised a question of principle. It was for consideration, in view of the expanding activity of O.W.I., whether the resultant increase of strain on the Ministry's executive machinery, inevitable under the present arrangement, should continue to be accepted. The alternative would be that O.W.I. should operate independently in this and similar matters: a change which, while it would remove their activities from Ministry control, would on the other hand make for greater freedom of decision in considering future O.W.I. proposals in which the Ministry's collaboration or sponsorship was required.

Mr. Cruikshank felt that on balance the advantage lay in promoting increased independence of operation for O.W.I. The Chairman concurred in this view, and it was agreed that Mr. Royds should be guided accordingly.