HC Deb 25 May 1939 vol 347 cc2485-6
36. Mr. C. Brown

asked the Lord Privy Seal why such long delays occur before the sanction or otherwise of the Home Office is given to schemes in connection with air-raid precautions put for ward by some local authorities, even after they have been asked by the Home Office to speed up certain work; and why the scheme for a cleansing station put forward by the urban district council of Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, on 18th April, has neither been sanctioned or refused up to the present?

Sir J. Anderson

The Department is making every effort to assist local authorities to expedite the progress of their Civil Defence measures: but decisions cannot be given without proper consideration, particularly in a case which, like that to which the hon. Member refers, raises technical problems and involves the acquisition of property. The Department's Regional Officer has been in communication with the scheme-making authority regarding this particular case, and I expect that a final decision will be taken very shortly.