§ 25. Mr. Mabaneasked the Home Secretary when he anticipates that the schemes for the provision of storage accommodation for gas-masks by local authorities will be complete; and what length of time he anticipates will elapse between the completion of the schemes and the completion of storage accommodation for which they provide?
§ Mr. LloydMy right hon. Friend sent a circular to local authorities on the 4th, explaining the details of the arrangements they should make for storage and distribution of civilian respirators. He cannot forecast when all the local authorities will have completed their schemes and provided the necessary storage accommodation, but he is satisfied that they will do so as soon as possible.
§ Mr. MabaneDo I understand that the local authorities may proceed at once to provide accommodation, without having their schemes specifically approved by the Department?
§ Mr. LloydSchemes can be approved in part, and, therefore, storage accommodation schemes can be specifically approved.
§ Mr. Noel-BakerIs the hon. Gentleman satisfied that the local authorities are making preparations to carry out this work?
§ 26. Mr. Mabaneasked the Home Secretary whether any local authorities are at present defraying the travelling expenses of air-raid precautions personnel attending for training; and, if so, how many?
§ Mr. LloydYes, Sir; I understand that a number of local authorities are defraying the reasonable travelling expenses of air-raid precautions personnel attending for training, but my right hon. Friend has not so far thought it right to ask local authorities for a special return on this subject.
§ Mr. MabaneWill the Under-Secretary consider, at some time in the near future, asking the local authorities for such information, in order that it may be generally available?
§ Mr. LloydYes, Sir, but they are so very busy with the Act at the present time that I should not like to ask them for it now.
§ Mr. R. C. MorrisonIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in a number of the poorer local authorities there are large numbers of people who are perfectly willing to carry out this work at their own expense?
§ 27. Mr. Mabaneasked the Home Secretary whether the first progress returns of the enrolment of personnel for air-raid precautions services have yet been received from local authorities; if not, when he anticipates these will be received; and whether meanwhile the figure of 1,987, representing the number of badges issued to air-raid wardens who have completed one month's service and are considered efficient in their duties, may be taken to represent the total number of trained and efficient air-raid wardens in the Kingdom?
§ Mr. LloydMy right hon. Friend proposes to arrange in the near future for periodical returns of personnel enrolled, but, in view of the pressure of more urgent air-raid precaution work. with which local authorities have been faced during the last few weeks, he has hesitated to trouble them generally with further requests for information on this subject at this stage. As regards the last part of the question, the figure mentioned by my hon. Friend was based on the latest information furnished to the Home Office, but my right hon. Friend is advised that it is clearly not up to date, and that the total number of trained wardens is very substantially in excess of the number of those who are known from the returns of the local authorities to have received badges.
§ Mr. MabaneWill the Under-Secretary encourage local authorities to issue these 503 air-raid wardens' badges as soon as possible, in view of the encouragement to enrol that the wearing of these badges will give?
§ 29. Colonel Nathanasked the Home Secretary what arrangements are in course of being made in connection with air-raid precautions for a complete or partial black-out in the Metropolitan area or any part of it?
§ Mr. LloydI would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave him on 10th February.
§ Colonel NathanHas any progress been made with these arrangements during that period?
§ Mr. LloydCertainly progress has been made, but it is a matter for the local authorities to decide when they are ready to have exercises.
§ Colonel NathanIs it proposed to take any steps to co-ordinate the action of the various local authorities in the Metropolitan area?
§ 30. Colonel Nathanasked the Home Secretary what arrangements are contemplated for the protection of schoolchildren in London actually in school premises at the time of an air raid?
§ Mr. LloydThis is a matter for the local authorities to consider, in the light of the recommendations contained in a circular of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.
§ Colonel NathanIs it not a fact that school premises are under the control not necessarily of the local authority, but of the local education authority, which is not necessarily the same thing? Where does responsibilty rest, therefore, for damage to school premises and protection of schoolchildren?
§ Mr. LloydThe hon. Member, I think, is under a misapprehension. The general authority is the local authority.
§ 32. Mr. R. C. Morrisonasked the Home Secretary whether he will arrange an air-raid wardens' instruction class for Members of Parliament within the precincts of the House or in the immediate vicinity?
§ Mr. LloydAir-raid wardens are enrolled by local authorities, and they are allocated certain sectors by the authorities. For this reason, I do not think it would be appropriate to arrange an instruction class for air-raid wardens for Members of the House. The question, however, of arranging for courses of instruction in air-raid training for Members, on similar lines to the training given in Government Departments, is one to which my right hon. Friend to giving attention.
§ 35. Sir Nicholas Grattan-Doyleasked the Home Secretary whether he is in a position to make a statement as to expenditure incurred by statutory undertakings on air-raid precautions, and as to the proportion to be met as a national charge?
§ Mr. LloydAs my right hon. Friend indicated in his statement on 23rd December, public utility undertakings are expected, at their own cost, to fulfil the obligations of a good employer by providing training for their personnel and such protection for them and for their plant as is reasonable. Further, having regard to their responsibilities to the communities they serve, they should take such additional measures as are practicable to maintain supply. Towards the cost of these additional measures the Government will contribute, and discussions on the extent and conditions of the Government assistance have already begun.
§ Colonel NathanIs the hon. Gentleman satisfied that, under the provisions of the Statute, these bodies have the necessary statutory authority?
§ 40. Mr. Sandysasked the Home Secretary whether the air-raid precautions circular, of 28th March, implies that the Government expect local authorities to provide air-raid shelters for all those persons whose houses do not provide adequate protection and which it is not practical to strengthen; and, if so, in view 505 of the great cost this will entail, whether he intends to make any additional grants to the local authorities for his purpose?
§ Mr. LloydThe circular explains that the Government has reached the conclusion that the wisest policy to aim at is one of dispersal and that, generally speaking, persons who at the time of a raid are in their own homes or in other buildings should remain there. The circular, however, indicates that local authorities should make a survey of their areas with a view to estimating the number of persons who may be in the streets or whose houses cannot give a reasonable degree of protection. Until the results of the surveys arc known, my right hon. Friend is not in a position to estimate the extent to which shelter accommodation may be required.
§ Mr. SandysIs my hon. Friend aware that these surveys are likely to take a great deal of time, and is not the matter one of urgency?
§ Mr. LloydMy right hon. Friend has drawn the special attention of local authorities to this matter and has urged them to press on with it as soon as possible.
§ Mr. SandysWith regard to the second part of my question, is my hon. Friend aware that the great proportion of the houses in the East End of London fall into this category; and does he think that the local authorities, without additional assistance, will be able to provide shelters for so many people?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerHas not the recent experience shown that the provision of shelters is the only alternative to large-scale spontaneous evacuation of the population; and will it not prove cheaper in the end to provide shelters, and will not the Government treat the matter as one of great urgency?
§ Sir Frank SandersonDoes not my bon. Friend consider that the large number of questions which are being asked in connection with air-raid precautions are causing an uneasiness in the country which is totally unwarranted?
§ 41. Mr. Sandysasked the Home Secretary whether it has yet been finally decided whether to make use of the under- 506 ground railway in London as part of a scheme of air-raid shelters?
§ Mr. LloydThis matter is one that continues to have careful examination. The difficulties and risks of the use of the underground railway system as public shelters are formidable, but no final decision has been taken.
§ Mr. SandysCan my hon. Friend say why it has taken so long to reach this decision, which has been under consideration for a year so far as I know?
§ Mr. LloydIt is an extremely complicated question, but we are following the technical developments that may take place in other countries.
§ Mr. ThorneHas the hon. Gentleman been able to find out——
§ Mr. SpeakerI would remind the hon. Member that there are 110 questions on the Paper.
§ 69. Mr. R. S. Morrisonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether expenditure on air-raid precautions incurred by business firms in making tunnels, trenches, and ramparts for the safety of their employés will be treated for Income Tax purposes as allowable expenses?
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon)How far such expenditure may be allowable in the computation of business profits for Income Tax purposes is a matter primarily for determination by the respective bodies of Income Tax Commissioners by reference to the facts of particular cases. So far as the Board of Inland Revenue are concerned, they would regard expenditure on, for example, elaborate underground galleries as capital expenditure and not allowable, but they would not object to the allowance of expenditure on simply-constructed trenches and on sandbag ramparts.
§ Colonel NathanWill the Chancellor of the Exchequer introduce legislation to prevent public-spirited persons who embark on this expenditure being liable to Income Tax in respect thereof?
§ Sir J. SimonI do not think I can do that.
§ 70. Mr. H. G. Williamsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to introduce legislation to exempt air-raid shelters from liability to 507 assessment to Income Tax under Schedule A?
§ Sir J. SimonMy hon. Friend will appreciate that I cannot anticipate my Budget statement, but I would refer him to the answers which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hertford (Sir M. Sueter) on 25th November and 7th December last.