§ Mr. Leonardasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the situation which will arise next summer as it affects boarding house proprietors who have been compelled to accept civil servants as billetees; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that these boarding house proprietors are not deprived of their summer season?
§ Captain CrookshankThe arrangement whereby certain civil servants are billeted by agreement with boarding house proprietors is only one aspect of a general situation which will have to be considered when the time comes in the light of the prevailing circumstances.
§ Mr. McEnteeasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give details of the costs of the evacuation of civil servants which has already taken place; and what is the estimated cost of the complete evacuation scheme for civil servants?
§ Sir T. Mooreasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give the present approximate extra cost of transferring civil servants to the country, over and above the normal charge for these State employés?
§ Captain CrookshankPending a determination of the expenditure on certain major items, such as compensation for requisitioned premises, I regret that no reliable estimate of the extra cost can be furnished.
§ Captain Pluggeasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the increased cost, the inconvenience to civil servants, and the growing realisation that London is relatively 1294W protected from air raids, he will undertake to review the whole question of evacuation of Civil Service Departments from the London area; and whether, pending the results of this review, he will suspend any further evacuation for the moment?
§ Captain CrookshankNo, Sir. As I stated in a reply given to the hon. Member for Ealing (Sir F. Sanderson) on the 12th December, the Government are satisfied that the existing policy in relation to the evacuation of civil servants is still necessary in the public interest, though, of course, the whole question is kept under constant review.
§ Sir R. Gowerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is regarded as essential to remove still more civil servants from London; and if he can state the numbers which have already gone and the additional numbers which it is intended to remove?
§ Captain CrookshankAs I stated in the answer on the 12th December to the hon. Member for Ealing (Sir F. Sanderson), the Government are satisfied that the existing policy is still necessary in the public interest. About 16,000 civil servants have now been moved out of London, and some 5,000 more will be evacuated at an early date. The whole matter including the question of the evacuation of further staff is kept under constant review.
§ Mr. R. Morganasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, before the nation incurs more expenditure on the evacuation of civil servants, he will review the whole policy of evacuation with the object of evolving some permanent policy other than mere avoidance of air risks; whether he is aware of the feeling in the Service that evacuation is involving them in considerable financial and family disadvantage; and whether, as firms are now returning to London, he will reconsider the policy of sending civil servants far from the Metropolis?
§ Captain CrookshankNo, Sir. As I stated in a reply given to the hon. Member for Ealing (Sir F. Sanderson) on the 12th December, the Government are satisfied that the existing policy in relation to the evacuation of civil servants is still necessary in the public interest, though of course the whole question is kept under constant review.
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§ Sir F. Sandersonasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that some 3,000 civil servants employed in the pensions and insurance section of the Ministry of Health are to be evacuated from the Government offices at Acton to Blackpool during the first week of next month, and that the great majority of them are opposed to this decision to move them from their homes and friends; and whether he will reconsider his decision, especially in view of the fact that although the Government has decided to turn them out of their building, nevertheless the vacated premises are to be occupied by other Government Departments?
§ Mr. ElliotOn the general question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which the Financial Secretary to the Treasury gave to him on 12th December. I can assure him that the premises vacated at Acton will be occupied only by staff whom it is essential to locate in London.