HC Deb 28 September 1939 vol 351 cc1471-3
42. Mr. Rhys Davies

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the feelings aroused, especially in depressed areas where unemployment is rife, against persons being engaged in paid posts as air-raid wardens who are at the same time running businesses of their own and thereby drawing two incomes at the same time; and will he consider taking steps to deal with this?

Sir J. Anderson

Where the authorised establishment of an air-raid precautions service includes a proportion of paid posts the holders of those posts are appointed on a whole-time basis; and local authorities, in making such appointments, are expected to satisfy themselves that the persons concerned are in fact available for whole-time duty. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps he will send me details.

Mr. Davies

Does not the right hon. Gentleman see the futility of laying down a condition of that kind, when a publican can transact all his business in his public house and still do full-time duty for 3 per week, while an unemployed man cannot?

Sir J. Anderson

I presume that the hon. Member has a particular case in mind. Perhaps he will give me the information.

Mr. G. Griffiths

Is it not the case that these appointments are made by the police and not by the local authority? At any rate, they have been appointed by the police in my own area?

Sir J. Anderson

I do not think that can be quite correct. There may be cases where the chief officer of police is in charge of air-raid precaution services under the local authority. It is only in that way that the chief officer of police can make appointments.

43. Mr. Rhys Davies

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that coal miners who have been unemployed for several years and who have for some time past been voluntary air-raid wardens, are refused paid posts in that capacity be cause they are listed in the schedule of reserved occupations; and will he take steps to remove this anomaly?

Sir J. Anderson

The schedule of reserved occupations places restrictions upon the engagement for whole-time service in the Defence Services of persons in certain occupations which are of essential importance in war-time. It is clearly undesirable that such persons should be employed whole-time in the Defence Services if they are likely to be required for essential work in their own occupations, as I presume is the case with the coal miners to whom the hon. Member refers.

Mr. Davies

Does not the right hon. Gentleman see the anomaly? There are hundreds of miners unemployed in my constituency, they have been unemployed for eight and ten years, their occupation has gone, and now they are told that they are in the list of reserved occupations when the authorities know that they will never be coal miners again?

Sir J. Anderson

In that case, so far as I am concerned, the hon. Member will appreciate that I have no power to override the schedule of reserved occupations. I am bound by that schedule, and I suggest that his question should be addressed to one of my colleagues.

Mr. Davies

Will the right hon. Gentleman consult his colleague the Minister of Labour, who is really responsible for all this trouble?

44. Mr. Pritt

asked the Home Secretary how many persons previously employed by local authorities under trade union conditions entitling them to payment for overtime have, during the present war, become employed as air raid precautions volunteers on work similar to that of their previous employment as such volunteers are inconsistent with trade union conditions and with the collective agreements under which they were previously working, and, in particular, provide for no overtime payment; in how many such cases men are working twice as long for very little more remuneration than previously; how many such men have been removed or released from their positions as such volunteers owing to their having claimed overtime payment or other trade union conditions; what instructions or circulars he has issued suggesting or requiring such refusal of overtime payments or removal or release; and in how many cases men who on such release have returned to their municipal employment have been informed that they will be dismissed as soon as air-raid precautions volunteers have been trained to do their work?

Sir J. Anderson

I am not in possession of the detailed information for which the hon. and learned Member asks and in present circumstances I should be reluctant to add to the labours of local authorities by asking them to obtain it. 1 may say, however, that the decision not to make payment for hours of duty in excess of a normal working day applies only to those who have enrolled as whole-time volunteers in Civil Defence organisations. I am sending the hon. and learned Member copies of the two circulars that have been issued by my Department on this subject.

49. Mr. Mander

asked the Home Secretary what steps are being taken to release air-raid precautions paid workers of military age for training purposes?

Sir J. Anderson

Men are not yet being called up under the provisions of the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1039, and accordingly this question has not yet arisen

Mr. Mander

Would they not be protected by reason of the fact that they arc air-raid precautions workers?

Sir J. Anderson

As matters stand, they have no special protection.