SECRET.
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Friday, 18th April, 1941.

Arrangements for release of news on economic matters.

1. Reuters, who have been encouraged by the Ministry to approach the press sections of other Government Departments concerned with the economic side of the war effort for news and background information, have brought to notice an unsatisfactory state of affairs in certain Departments. The attached memorandum has been sent to the Ministry with a covering letter from which the following is an extract:

I happened to be talking to Henderson at the Ministry of Supply on another matter. He tells me he has now arranged that all raw material controls shall issue news to the press through him. I asked him if the controls were refusing to issue news at all, and he said, “he was tightening things up so as to overcome that possibility”. It might be helpful to Henderson to let him have a copy of Marriner's memorandum, to show him what we are up against. If Henderson's suggestion really works, other Ministries might follow.

In general, would it be possible for the Ministry of Information to point out to all Ministries that to further British export trade it is essential that there should be a prompt and generous release of economic news. Perhaps Security considerations could be dealt with by our own censorship arrangements. Also to insist that each Ministry should keep its own press section fully and promptly informed. There is nothing more maddening than to be switched about from one office to another, only to be told in the end that there is nothing to say, or that inquiries will be made (nothing further usually happens). Someone should be able to answer on the spot “Yes” or “No” to any question - to confirm or deny a story. It should be impressed upon Ministries that the news front is as important as any other front - even if it takes the War Cabinet to do this.

2. With the concurrence of Sir Kenneth Clark and Lord Davidson the matter is being brought before the Executive Board to consider whether there is any action the Ministry can properly take, through the Committee of P.R.O's or in other ways.

E.H.T.W.

15.4.41.