HC Deb 09 February 1939 vol 343 cc1100-6
5. Mr. George Hall

asked the Minister of Labour whether a person receiving unemployment allowances from the Unemployment Assistance Board will suffer any reduction in their allowance should they take children or others into their houses under the Government evacuation scheme?

Mr. E. Brown

As the hon. Member's question relates to the arrangements proposed under the Government evacuation scheme, I would ask him to await the reply to the similar question relating to public assistance which he has addressed to my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Health.

27. Mr. Duncan

asked the Minister of Health whether, in the assessment of accommodation available for evacuated children in the receiving areas, he can say whether the accommodation is to be on a temporary or a permanent basis?

The Minister of Health (Mr. Elliot)

The survey of accommodation which is at present being conducted by local authorities is primarily directed to ascertaining to what extent householders would be willing to receive children into their homes. The standard which has been suggested for adoption is one calculated to ensure the maintenance of proper housing conditions during any period for which it may be necessary to retain the children.

Mr. Duncan

Is it not likely to be a wrong calculation if one child per room is taken as the standard, rather than the cooking and other domestic arrangements which are a truer guide to the accommodation available? If this accommodation is to be on a temporary basis, will it not be easier to deal with cooking and other domestic arrangements than it would be if it were on a permanent basis; and will the Minister, therefore, reconsider the matter to see whether it should not be on a temporary basis, so that it would be possible to get more children out into the country?

Mr. Elliot

In the first place, I think it desirable to continue the census on the basis on which we are now working. Confusion would be caused if we altered the basis now. Having got this information, I will naturally consider whether any further classification might be adopted.

29. Mr. George Hall

asked the Minister of Health whether householders in receipt of public assistance will suffer a reduction in the amount received from the public assistance committee should they take children or others under the Government evacuation scheme?

Mr. Elliot

I am in sympathy with the view implied in this question and in the hon. Member's similar question No. 5 addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour, and he can be assured that any steps necessary to give effect to it will be taken by the Government if and when the occasion arises.

33. Mr. Perkins

asked the Minister of Health whether it is his intention to make the requisite funds available for the provision of essential standby electrical plants for hospitals and other essential institutions?

Mr. Elliot

I assume that my hon. Friend is alluding to standby plants required for use in the event of failure of the normal supply in time of war. In so far as equipment of this kind is of no substantial peace-time use to the institution, a contribution to the cost may be made by the Exchequer, but I am advised that normally provision should be made against the possibility of breakdown in peace-time, and, therefore, the question of grant would not arise.

37. Mr. Silverman

asked the Minister of Health how many first-aid posts, including decontamination centres, have been established in the ctiy of Liverpool; how many the local authority have undertaken to establish; and how many, in the opinion of his department, are immediately necessary?

Mr. Elliot

The city council have not yet formally submitted to me their scheme for first-aid posts and cleansing centres but I understand that they have so far allocated 27. Of these 21 are at hospitals or other medical premises which could function at very short notice. The adaptation of the remaining six, the allocation of additional posts, and the provision of mobile units are at present receiving consideration. The council's proposals have been under frequent discussion with my hospital officer and I have no reason to believe that they will not be adequate.

Mr. Silverman

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the position now is that 35 have been deemed to be necessary, that 10 have been deemed to be immediately necessary, but do not exist,. and that the local authorities on 8th December postponed consideration of the matter indefinitely?

Mr. Elliot

The hon. Member seems to be giving me information rather than asking for it.

Mr. Silverman

I am asking whether the statement which I have just made does, in fact, represent the position or not?

Mr. Elliot

If the hon. Member had listened to the beginning of my answer, he would know that I said that the city council have not yet formally submitted their scheme to me.

Mr. Silverman

But is the statement in my question correct that, on 8th December last, the local authority postponed consideration of this matter indefinitely?

Mr. Elliot

I am unable to say that.

44. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Moore

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to utilise empty mansions and other suitable empty properties throughout the country for purposes of evacuation; whether any survey has been made of such properties; and, if so, with what result?

Mr. Elliot

Local authorities have been asked to complete by the end of February a survey of all available accommodation, including empty houses. I shall then consider, in conjunction with the evacuating and receiving local authorities, to what use special categories of accommodation, including large houses and empty houses, can best be put.

Sir T. Moore

In view of the fact that there are 139 questions on the Order Paper to-day, I do not propose to ask supplementary questions to any of my three questions, so as to give other hon. Members a chance of getting answers to their questions.

47. Mr. Cary

asked the Minister of Health whether, in connection with billeting arrangements under evacuation schemes, householders will be permitted to give preference to their own relatives, including children, from vulnerable areas; if so, whether definite instructions to this effect will be issued, and, in such cases, the persons concerned will be accommodated in Government-commandeered transport or will be expected to make their own travelling arrangements?

48. Mr. Simmonds

asked the Minister of Health whether he will confirm that householders who, in time of war, will be called upon to accept persons from evacuated areas, will have a recognised prior right to nominate their relatives and friends to occupy vacant rooms in their houses?

Mr. Elliot

If, as I gather, my hon. Friends have in mind private arrangements by individual householders for the reception and care of children, and persons necessary for their care, from evacuable areas, there will be no objection to the making of such arrangements and the survey provides for the noting of any such arrangements. It would not, however, be practicable to provide transport officially for those who are making their own travelling arrangements.

73. Mr. Perkins

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he proposes to provide any financial help towards the cost of providing shelters and essential equipment for firms doing essential defence work?

The Lord Privy Seal (Sir John Anderson)

This matter is so closely bound up with legislative provisions which it is proposed to introduce defining the obligations of employers in regard to air raid precautions that I am afraid I can only ask my hon. Friend to await the introduction of a Bill.

74. Mr. Pilkington

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many sandbags have been indented for by local authorities; and how many have been supplied?

Sir J. Anderson

108,000,000 have been indented for by local authorities and 85,000,000 have already been supplied.

76. Mr. Joel

asked the Lord Privy Seal what precisely are the present instructions issued by his Department to local authorities with regard to the question of paying instructors and lecturers under the air-raid precautions scheme; and from how many districts he has received reports that the recent instruction that such persons should be paid has been resented by many of the persons concerned, including doctors?

Sir J. Anderson

Local authorities have always been encouraged to arrange, so far as practicable, for the training of A.R.P. personnel by voluntary instructors, but experience has shown that it is impossible in many areas to find a sufficient number of persons in a position to give the necessary time for this purpose without remuneration. I have no evidence to show that the payment of A.R.P. instructors is generally resented.

Mr. Joel

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in Dudley there is resentment on the part of air-raid wardens and other volunteers over the fact that payment is made to gas instructors and doctors and that the latter have themselves asked the local authorities to rescind their decision to pay them?

Sir J. Anderson

I have heard of that, but I do not think that it is quite reasonable.

77. Mr. Wakefield

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has considered the recommendations made by the Institution of Structural Engineers, in paragraph 55 of their report, issued last year, upon air-raid precautions; and can he make a statement?

Sir J. Anderson

The recommendations of the Institution of Structural Engineers in the report to which my hon. Friend refers are being considered together with information available from other sources. Some of the suggestions made by the institution do not agree with recommendations from other sources, and the points of difference are at present the subject of full-scale tests.

78. Sir William Jenkins

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps he has taken to assist the depressed areas of West Wales in giving orders for the necessary steel required for shelters under the air-raid precautions scheme; and will he give the quantity ordered and the names of the works up to date?

Sir J. Anderson

In allocating orders for steel air-raid shelters consideration is given to the manufacturing facilities afforded by all Special Areas, and a large share in the initial orders for galvanised corrugated sheets has gone to firms in West Wales. I will send the hon. Member the further information which he wishes.

80. Mr. Duncan

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will arrange for copies of all circulars and memoranda sent to local authorities in connection with air-raid precautions to be sent also to all Members of this House?

Sir J. Anderson

I have arranged that copies of ail such circulars and memoranda shall in future be available in the Vote Office.

81. Mr. Duncan

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will include in the circular to be issued to local authorities regarding steel shelters advice regarding the strengthening of basements and information regarding the issue of equipment and arrangements for grants for this purpose?

Sir J. Anderson

The distribution of the steel shelters will begin in certain areas before the end of this month, and a circular restricted to information regarding these shelters has therefore been issued as a matter of urgency to the local authorities affected. Arrangements are being made for the survey of basements and the provision of material for strengthening them, and I hope to be in a position shortly to issue a further circular to local authorities dealing with this part of the shelter programme.

Mr. Duncan

Will my right hon. Friend hasten that circular, because in London, at any rate, the question of dealing with basements is even more important than the provision of steel shelters?

Sir J. Anderson

I will do all I can in that matter.

Mr. R. C. Morrison

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether householders who receive those shelters are expected to erect them now or to keep them ready?

Sir J. Anderson

The circular, already issued and now available, is perfectly explicit on that point.