THE EARL OF TANKERVILLEasked His Majesty's Government whether they are aware of the widespread opinion that the measures now being adopted, directly traversing the Petition of Right of 1628, for the compulsory and indiscriminate billeting of civilian refugees in the private homes of the rural population, and, in the case of children, without first ascertaining that those receiving them were both capable of, and suitable for, looking after them for an indefinite period, would cause not only the serious spread of diseases, but would rapidly bring about a complete undermining of public morale at a time when its maintenance was a particularly urgent necessity; and whether all alternative methods, such as have re- 200WA cently been advocated by responsible persons in the daily Press and elsewhere, for providing adequate shelter in suitable districts for all those evacuated from large towns, have been explored and found physically impracticable.
THE EARL OF LUCANDuring the recent crisis certain preparations were made which involved the billeting and boarding out of civilian refugees, and before implementing those preparations His Majesty's Government would have taken the necessary constitutional measures. His Majesty's Government are aware that various criticisms have been expressed of the arrangements which were made at the time of the crisis. Many of those criticisms were based on misapprehensions of what was intended, though others no doubt have been directed to real points of weakness, some of which could hardly have been avoided at the time in view of the speed with which the arrangements had to be improvised. These arrangements had to be made as a matter of emergency in order to secure some means of safety for the population of great and congested cities, and His Majesty's Government believe that the policy of taking all possible steps to minimise the risks of loss of life in these crowded areas is one which would command general support.
The arrangements which can best be made to meet any future emergency are now the subject of the most careful consideration, and in the plans now being prepared it is the Government's intention that all possible consideration shall be given to individual circumstances in order that the plans proposed shall rest upon the goodwill of the public. The problem is one of great magnitude: in order to meet it it will be necessary to explore thoroughly the practicability of the various methods of providing supplementary accommodation.
House adjourned at twelve minutes past five o'clock.