[2] During the Second World War, the Ministry of Health had wanted the BBC to infiltrate health messages into ordinary programmes rather than have dedicated programmes from the Ministry of Food, but the BBC warned that this would not be effective and would be viewed by listeners as patronising.

Consequently, Hill's role as the "Radio Doctor" became part of the Ministry of Food's programme, Kitchen Front, broadcast every morning from 1942.

He negotiated with Aneurin Bevan and ensured that general practitioners did not simply become salaried employees.

He became the Postmaster-General (a non-cabinet ministerial position with responsibilities that included broadcasting) in 1955; during his period in office he publicly berated the BBC for its reporting of the Suez Crisis.

In May 1956, Hill attempted to formalise the existing agreement by which discussions or statements about matters before Parliament could not be broadcast in the fortnight preceding any debate (the 'fourteen-day rule').

However, the Suez Crisis rendered this policy unworkable in practice and the government agreed to its suspension at the end of the year.

[6] From 1957 to 1961, he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and from 1961 he was Minister of Housing and Local Government and Welsh Affairs,[7] but he lost his place in the Cabinet in Harold Macmillan's 'Night of the Long Knives' reshuffle in 1962.

He was created a life peer on 13 June 1963 as Baron Hill of Luton, of Harpenden in the County of Hertford.

[8] In 1967, Hill announced that all the ITV contracts were to be re-advertised, because he was concerned about the large profits being made by the major companies and their lack of regional identity.

[9] He succeeded Lord Normanbrook as the Chairman of the BBC Governors (1967–1972), having been appointed by the Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, to "sort out" the Corporation.

Sir Robert Lusty, the acting chairman, commented that "it was like inviting Rommel to command the Eighth Army on the eve of Alamein".