§ 33. Mr. BROOKESasked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the air raids, he will make arrangements for timely warning of pending attacks to be given to residents in the East End, and especially the schools; and whether it is the practice to warn the hospitals in advance?
§ Sir G. CAVEFor reasons which I gave in Debate on Thursday last, it has not been the practice to give public warning of impending air raids in London, but the question of giving such warnings in the future is under consideration. As regards giving warning to schools, I am in communication with the Board of Education. It has been the practice for hospitals to be warned by the police at the earliest possible moment, but it is now proposed that in order to expedite such warning hospitals should be placed on the list of institutions which are directly warned of impending air raids under the instructions of the Headquarters, Home Forces.
§ Mr. PEMBERTON BILLINGIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that at a meeting yesterday the Lord Mayor of London distinctly stated that he proposed to use the information given to him by General Lord French and to publish it to the citizens of London, and whether in these circumstances any further information is to be given in view of the fact that he says he will issue that information?
§ Sir G. CAVEI am aware that that statement is reported to have been made. The information is given in the City to the Commissioner of Police, who, no doubt, informs the Lord Mayor. I should not think of withholding that information from the Commissioner of Police.
§ Mr. BILLINGIs it a fact that that information is given to the Lord Mayor as the first citizen of London; and whether under these circumstances he is or is not permitted to issue it to other people?
§ Sir G. CAVEI have said that the information is not given to the Lord Mayor, but to the Commissioner of Police.
§ Mr. BILLINGIs the Commissioner of Police to be given instructions to give it to the Lord Mayor or not to give it to the Lord Mayor? Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that it is better to give a 1416 warning than not to give a warning so as to defeat the rumours, which are much more unsatisfactory?
§ Mr. FLAVINIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in many schools there are resident pupils as well as day pupils, and that in some of these schools a regular system of fire drills has been organised by the teachers, and that in all these schools warning ought to be given to the mother superior when an air raid is about to take place?
§ Sir G. CAVEI am aware of the facts mentioned by my hon. Friend. The view hitherto taken by the London Education Authority has been that the giving of warning to schools would involve the risk of driving the children out of the schools into the streets, where there is more danger. I am in communication with the Board of Education on that point.
§ Mr. BROOKESWould it not be as well to come to an immediate decision upon this point, so that we may know where we are?
§ Sir G. CAVEWe propose to come to a very early decision.
§ Mr. PRINGLEDo it now.
§ Mr. FLAVINSurely the right hon. Gentleman does not mean to say that resident pupils, little girls in bed, are to be turned out of their sleep at two or three o'clock in the morning by the mother superior? Does he not think that the rev. mother of these schools ought to get proper orders that the children should be removed from the upper dormitories to the basement?
§ 37. Mr. CROOKSasked the Home Secretary whether, in considering the advisability or otherwise of giving public warning of an approaching enemy raid, he will bear in mind the fact that people residing within hearing of the continual gun practice at Woolwich are thrown off their guard and can be taken completely by surprise in the case of a raid?
§ Sir G. CAVEThe consideration to which my right hon. Friend draws attention will certainly be borne in mind.
§ Mr. W. THORNEHave not local authorities the power to make rules and regulations in regard to air raids? We have in West Ham.
§ Sir G. CAVEI am not sure to what the hon. Member refers.
§ Mr. THORNEAs a matter of fact, has not each local authority the power to make their own systems for giving warning that enemy aircraft are coming? Several of them have done so. I know we have in West Ham.
§ Sir G. CAVEThe recommendations of local authorities always receive consideration.
§ Mr. BILLINGAre we to understand that any resolution brought forward by the London mayors will be adopted?
§ Sir G. CAVEI cannot give such an unqualified statement.
§ Mr. BILLINGWill it be considered?
§ Sir G. CAVEOf course.
§ 69. Mr. WILESasked the Postmaster-General why proper warning was not given to the female staff in the Central Telegraph Office during the German raid on Wednesday last; is he aware that no use was made of the alarm signals, even to warn the school on the top floor, notwithstanding the fact that bombs were dropping in the immediate vicinity, the girls in this dangerous position having to rush for shelter on their own initiative; and will he make arrangements immediately for a proper system of signals to be installed to warn the staff of the approach of enemy aircraft so that they may be quickly removed to proper shelter?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Illingworth)In view of the importance of maintaining the telegraph and telephone services without interruption, there are serious objections to allowing the staff to withdraw from their instruments immediately upon the issue of air raid warnings, a large proportion of 'which are not followed by an attack upon the London area. Arrangements have been made under which, on the issue of a warning, officers will be stationed on the roof of the Central Telegraph Office and other buildings, who will give warning as soon as aircraft or firing is heard. Those of the staff on the top floor or in exposed positions will then be instructed to withdraw to the lower floors if they so desire. I am glad to say that the staff of the telegraph school did not rush for shelter on their own initiative on the occasion of the raid on the 14th instant, but withdrew in an orderly manner on the instructions of their supervising officers, and the school was cleared within one minute.
§ Mr. WILESWho is responsible for giving the notice or warning, and why was it that on Wednesday last warning was not given?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHThere were only arrangements for night warnings. There were no arrangements, so far as I am aware, for day attacks.
§ Mr. BILLINGHas the General Post Office warning given to it or is it the case that the only means they have of knowing when a raid is expected is to post their own officials on the roof to see if by chance they can see an aeroplane; and would the right hon. Gentleman consider the advisability, to save the time of these men, of asking some other Government Department to give them warning?
§ Mr. WILESCan the right hon. Gentleman give the House an assurance, when another warning is given, that the whole of his staff will be instructed what to do, whether it is at night or in the daytime?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHOut of the last four occasions on which warning was received there was only one on which there was any attack on London, and I do not think it would be in the interests of the public service if on receipt of every warning the whole of the postal servants were to go down in the cellars, delaying the mails and everything.
§ Mr. THORNEMay I ask whether it is not a fact, in the event of any instructions being given to employés to get down into the basement, and a bomb dropping on the pavement outside, there is not greater danger than if they had stopped where they were? It all depends where the bomb drops. I would not move a peg.
§ Sir HENRY CRAIK(by Private Notice) asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is prepared to appoint a small committee to confer immediately with representatives of the teachers in the light of their experiences to propose without delay rules to minimise the dangers from air raids to the schoolchildren, while at the same time obviating the danger to these children from unnecessary panic?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of EDUCATION (Mr. Fisher)I am in consultation with the Home Office on this question, but I shall be glad also to ascertain, the views of the teachers.
§ Sir H. CRAIKAre you taking any steps to ascertain the view of the teachers from their experiences in the recent events?
§ Mr. FISHERI have asked the teachers to come and see me.