§ Mr. ASQUITHMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he can give the House any further information as regards the extent of the damage done by the raid yesterday, in addition to that which has been published; and also as regards the explosion at Ashton-under-Lyne, and whether any arrangements have been made to compensate those who are suffering as a result of the explosion?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWMy hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions has a statement to make with regard to the explosion at Ashton-under-Lyne. I have made inquiry, and there is no further information about the raid beyond what was communicated to the Press this morning. I am glad to be able to say that Zeppelin L 43 was destroyed by our naval forces this morning in the North Sea. Soon after being attacked, she burst into flames fore and aft, broke in two, and fell into the sea.
§ Sir W. EVANSThe explosion which took place yesterday was at privately-owned works at Ashton-under-Lyne. I regret to say that so far as at present ascertained there were fifty killed and many injured. Much damage was done to neighbouring mills, workshops and dwellings. The Government will bear the expense of the funerals, the arrangements for which I understand the town council are prepared to undertake. I am advised that the company owning the works is primarily liable to pay compensation to its workpeople; the Government will, however, make good any deficiency in respect of their reasonable claims. As regards other claims, the Government propose to deal with them on the same principles as in the Silvertown case.
§ Mr. HOGGEWould the right hon. Gentleman answer the point as to whether the victims of the aeroplanes, and their dependants, are to receive any sort of compensation from the Government?
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSWill the right hon. Gentleman be in a position, either now or early next week, to make a statement in regard to the defences of London against hostile aircraft, and will he be able to make any statement on behalf of the Government in regard to possible reprisals?
§ Sir F. BANBURYWould it be possible by ringing the bell at St. Paul's, or in some other manner, to let people in the City know that an air raid is expected, as this is really very important; and is the right hon. Gentleman aware that large sums of money were in the different offices of the banks yesterday which, if notice had been given, could have been put down into the safes? [HON. MEMBERS: "What about life?"]
§ Mr. BONAR LAWIn regard to the question of the right hon. Baronet, I think that we are more interested in the lives of the people than in the money in the banks, though obviously there is no reason why that should be lost; but I may say that the question of warning has already many times before been considered carefully, and I am told that there is a great deal to be said on the other side. Experience has shown us that the result of warning is simply to drive people into the street, and I am informed that yesterday people in the West End actually took taxis to go down to see the raid when they heard that it was taking place.
As regards the question of my hon. Friend as to the means to be taken beyond those already taken for protection against air raids, the matter is occupying the closest attention of the Departments concerned, but I am sure that neither my hon. Friend nor the House will expect us-to say what we are endeavouring to do.
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI have no information beyond the rumour which has reached my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. BILLINGI beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House in order to call attention to a matter of urgent public importance, namely, "the recent air raids in this country and the lack of an efficient offensive and defensive policy."
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe House has already declined to discuss this subject on a former occasion when the hon. Member moved the Adjournment.
§ Mr. BILLINGOn a point of Order—
§ Mr. SPEAKERI have called upon the right hon. Member on my left.
§ Mr. BILLINGOn a point of Order, Sir—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member for Tyneside, on my left, has risen on a point of Order, and I have called upon him.
§ Mr. BILLING(later): May I ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, in view of the fact that the last time that I asked leave to move the Adjourn- 1137 ment I only prophesied what was going to occur, but now it has occurred, and possibly the House might take a different view of this matter. I should also like to ask whether the Speaker of the House wishes to take entire responsibility, in view of the whole feeling of the country as it is at the present moment, to refuse even to allow the House to express its views as to whether it wishes to debate what is a most important subject, not only in regard to the offensive but to the defensive policy of the air service?
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am quite prepared to take the responsibility of saying the House pronounced against the hon. Gentleman the other day, when he sought to move the Adjournment, and I am bound by precedents not to allow the hon. Member to raise the same question again.
§ Mr. BILLINGOn the point of Order, am I to understand that if the whole of London is levelled in an air raid, with the exception of the House of Commons, it would be impossible to raise this matter?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf the circumstances indicated by the hon. Gentleman arise we should not be here to discuss the matter at all.
§ Mr. BILLINGWill the Chair give me its ruling on the point assuming that we were here.
§ Mr. SPEAKERWe have passed to the next business.
§ Mr. BILLINGOn the point of Order. [HON. MEMBERS: "Sit down!"] Am I refused leave to move the Adjournment?