HC Deb 28 July 1938 vol 338 cc3283-4
35. Mr. Simmonds

asked the Home Secretary whether he has yet received any report from the committee appointed to consider the evacuation of the civil population from certain areas in the event of war, and presided over by the right hon. Member for the Scottish Universities (Sir J. Anderson); and whether he can make any statement thereon?

Sir S. Hoare

Yes, Sir, I received the report yesterday and wish to express to the committee my appreciation of their help. I am grateful to my right hon. Friend and his colleagues for completing so expeditiously their valuable survey of this difficult problem. The report will be published in the near future. It is a lengthy document, and its recommendations naturally raise important questions of policy, some at least of which Parliament may wish to discuss. There is, however, as the report shows, a great deal of work that can usefully be undertaken at once on lines recommended by the committee without any commitments on the matters of policy to which I have referred. I do not, therefore, intend to delay action until after the Recess. The staff of my Department will clearly require strengthening to enable it to deal adequately with this large problem. I am taking this matter up at once, and every effort will be made to carry preparation forward, so that if and when the subject is discussed in this House Members may have before them not only the recommendations of the committee but the results of such preparatory work as has already been undertaken.

I would add that, as the committee rightly point out, the provision which they recommend for evacuation in no way detracts from the necessity for pressing forward provision for other measures of passive defence. The essential industries and services of the country, which are, of course, mainly concentrated in vulnerable areas, must be carried on. This means that essential persons must remain and that plans must be made for their protection.

Mr. Simmonds

In view of the great importance of his carrying public opinion with him in this matter, will my right hon. Friend consider publishing this report in full, and will he also say whether it could be published during the next few days?

Sir S. Hoare

We intend to publish this report in full, and we intend that there shall be no delay in its publication. I think it must take rather more than a few days, but it will be in the immediate future that it will be published.

Mr. Gallacher

May we take it that the Leeds and Sheffield pamphlets of the Communist party will be considered by the committee without political prejudice?

Mr. Duncan

May we take it that all the recommendations in the report are to be accepted by the Government?

Sir S. Hoare

I think I made the position quite clear in my answer. The report will be published in the immediate future, and hon. Members will then be able to judge of the recommendations.

Mr. Dalton

Will the right hon. Gentleman publish, along with the report, a brief statement indicating what steps, on the basis of the report, are going to be taken during the Recess?

Sir S. Hoare

I am not sure whether we could do it at the same time as we published the report, but the answer which I have given shows that I am putting into operation the steps which are needed for dealing immediately with the recommendations of the committee.

Mr. R. C. Morrison

Does the right hon. Gentleman intend, after the publication of the report, to hold consultations on this matter between the air-raid precautions authorities and the local authorities in the Metropolitan area?

Sir S. Hoare

We shall certainly have to maintain very close contact between the two.