§ 69. Mr. Sandysasked the Home Secreretary whether his Deparament have drawn up a list of medical practitioners who have undergone an approved course of training in the treatment of gas cases; if so, how many there are; whether each has been allocated a prescribed district; and what arrangements have been made to mobilise their services in an emergency?
§ Mr. LloydUp to the end of January rather over 1,500 medical practitioners had completed courses of anti-gas training given by the 10 Home Office medical instructors originally appointed. Six additional medical instructors are now at 222 work. As it is the aim to give this training to all medical practitioners in the country who are willing to receive it, there should be no need to allocate individual doctors to particular districts, but lists are available from which it would be possible at any time to notify to local authorities the names of those who had been trained in their respective areas.
§ Mr. SandysCan my hon. Friend say at what rate the practitioners are being trained, and whether all practitioners have been notified of the existence of these courses personally?
§ Mr. LloydPractitioners have not been individually notified at present, though arrangements are locally available for that purpose. We are training doctors at present at the rate of 2,000 a month.
§ 70. Mr. Sandysasked the Home Secretary whether he will issue a White Paper setting forth the measures which are being taken by the Government to extend the fire-fighting services in the event of air attack, in view of the warnings contained in the Riverdale Report?
§ Mr. LloydThe extension of the fire-fighting services to meet the risk of incendiary attack from the air is primarily a matter for each local fire brigade authority. The principal measures being taken by the Government to assist local authorities to this end were summarised in a reply given to my hon. Friend on 2nd December last. My right hon. Friend hopes to issue to local authorities very shortly a memorandum on the whole subject of emergency fire brigade organisation, and a circular indicating the extent to which, and the conditions under which, Exchequer assistance will be granted to fire brigade authorities towards the provision of additional appliances and personnel, in excess of those required for normal peace time purposes, in connection with their emergency fire brigade measures. The memorandum and circular will be placed on sale: I will send copies to my hon. Friend; and copies will be placed in the Library of the House.
§ Mr. SandysCan my hon. Friend say whether a start has yet been made with the manufacture of these emergency appliances, and also with the recruitment of auxiliary personnel which was referred to in the answer of 2nd December?
§ Mr. SandysWhat about recruitment?
§ 71. Mr. Sandysasked the Home Secretary whether he is satisfied that sufficient powers already exist to enable him to insist that new factories which may be erected shall contain gas-proof and bomb-proof shelters; and, if not, whether the Government intend to ask Parliament for such powers?
§ Mr. LloydThe Air Raid Precautions Department of the Home Office is already in touch with various branches of industry throughout the country on this subject. The Government anticipate that factory employers will be prepared to co-operate in the matter, and no legislation for the purpose is contemplated.