TNAG-0070-FCO40-106-Disturbances-in-Hong-Kong-propaganda-1968 — Page 51

0003230

G.F. 323

CONFIDENTIAL

- 5-

instructions, have been observed more in the breach than in the observance. They should be re-drafted, but to suggest that the solution is to break down existing machinery which has been assembled patiently and intelligently over the years is ludicrous.

16. The Director of Information Services is at present responsible for advising the Governor and Government on information policy, and I do not see that changing him into an Information Sccretary as a Secretariat official will alter this aspect of his duties. Nor do I consider that it will be a better stimulus to improved departmental information effort than we are achieving with the present Publicity Committee

provided

that this Committee, or another like it, has its scope enlarged to consider all aspects of information work and is empowered, on behalf of the Colonial Secretary, to issue information policy guidance to departments. I suggest that a Committee, under the chairmanship of the D.C.S.(S.D.), or someone of equal seniority and ability, should be retained on a permanent basis and the Committee should include on its membership all those concerned with information policy.

17. The Director of Information Services would be able to give more time to matters of central government information policy if the directorate staff of his department was strengthened in order to relieve him of some of the detail of departmental administration. If the Special Unit is to be established on a permanent basis, as I think it must, then D.I.S. should be given two substantive deputies one administrative

to run the departmental administration, and one professional to direct

personally the Community Affairs Information Section and to co-ordinate

the other professional activities of the Department.

18.

Otherwise, I agree with the proposed staffing of the S.P.U. but I suggest the proposed grading of P.1.0. should be changed to C.I.0. with an equivalent grading to the C.P.0. and C.Pub.0. thus allowing the unit to compete effectively for the best talents of the other divisions of my department.

19. Lastly, may I request the Report you are considering in conjunction with this paper be graded "Confidential".

(N.J.V. Vatt)

Director of Information Services

NJW/stm

CONFIDENTIAL