§ Sir Herbert Williams(by Private Notice) asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the fact that on the occasion of the air raid on Croydon on Thursday, 16th August, the first bombs were dropped at 7 p.m. and that the enemy raiders had left the district about 10 minutes later, but that the air-raid warning was not given until 7.15 p.m. and whether he has any statement to make as to the cause of delay in giving the official warning?
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Sir John Anderson)As the House knows, it is the policy of the Government that the public air-raid warnings shall be sounded only in areas where an actual attack is likely to be delivered; and it is the duty of those responsible for giving the warnings to endeavour to forecast, on the basis of their information regarding the movements of hostile aircraft and in the light of their knowledge of the enemy's probable objectives, where each particular formation of enemy aircraft may be going to drop its bombs. During the afternoon of 16th August, successive waves of raiders had crossed the coast and headed towards London, but had turned away before reaching the Metropolitan area. Shortly before seven in the evening another raid was reported to be approaching London from the same direction. A few moments later it was reported to have turned away as the earlier raids had clone. In the light of what had happened earlier in the afternoon, it appeared that the threatened attack on the London area would not materialise, and Fighter Command decided to withhold the order for the sounding of the public warning. Subsequently, however, a portion of the enemy formation broke away from the others, changed their direction suddenly and delivered their attack on Croydon. Some minutes 1127 later the public warning was given in London, not as the result of bombs having fallen in Croydon, but because this enemy formation had changed its direction and was flying on a course which suggested that it might after all deliver an attack on the Metropolitan area. The officers operating the warning system have a heavy responsibility, and an unenviable task, in exercising the discretion which has been entrusted to them. They cannot be infallible; and on this occasion their judgment of the probable course of the raid, which they formed on the best information available, was proved by the event to have been mistaken. I deeply regret the loss of lift and the injuries sustained in this raid and I am sure the House would wish to join me in extending our heartfelt sympathy to the relatives of those who were killed and in wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
§ Sir H. WilliamsCan my right hon. Friend assure me that local authorities have no responsibility for giving air-raid warnings?
§ Sir J. AndersonI think that will be clear from the statement I have just made.
§ Mr.WoodburnIs the Minister now in a position to make the statement which he promised last week in regard to general policy?