Catalogue description Department of Economic Affairs: Information Division: Registered Files (INF Series)

Original numerical sequence of creating body has been followed

The Information Division was created in 1964 and subsequently developed into a Press Section, an Editorial Section, and a Press Cutting Section.

The Press Section was largely concerned with enquiries from the news media, the issue of press notices, and the arranging of press briefings, but it also dealt with the reception and instruction of visitors from home and abroad who wished to be informed on the work of the Department.

The Editorial Section took over responsibility for producing regular bulletins on economic matters from Treasury in 1964 and issued its first progress report in January 1965. It also produced other periodic publications, such as the 'Broadsheet' and 'Upswing', as well as one-off booklets and publicity material. In the first two years of the Department's existence many ministerial speeches were drafted by the Division, although this activity was later limited to speeches on general economic policy and certain specified topics. The Editorial Section also provided an information service within the Department.

The Press Cutting Section circulated cuttings daily to ministers and senior officials.

The Division was headed by a Chief Information Officer who acted as editor-in-chief of all divisional publications. The Chief Information Officer (and the deputy) advised the Department up to ministerial level on all press and publicity matters. Both occasionally lectured to outside organisations on the work of Department of Economic Affairs, and both were much involved with regional publicity problems.

Another responsibility of the Division was the co-ordination of publicity within Britain on the approach to Europe: the Chief Information Officer was Chairperson of the Home Information Policy (Europe) Committee, and also Chairperson of the Department's own Economic Publicity Committee.