HC Deb 01 February 1940 vol 356 cc1251-2
65. Mr. Batey

asked the Home Secretary why so many persons in receipt of large salaries or pensions have been employed for additional payments in the air-raid precautions instead of employing persons who are unemployed and qualified for the work?

Sir J. Anderson

I have no doubt that, in recruiting paid personnel for the Civil Defence services, local authorities have followed the proper policy of selecting the persons best qualified to undertake these duties, irrespective of their means. I think it is unlikely that any large number of persons already in receipt of salaries or pensions have been selected for these duties; but, as I have pointed out on previous occasions, a person is not ineligible for whole-time paid service merely because he is in receipt of an income from another source so long as he is able to take the necessary training and to give w hole-time service for such hours of duty as may be required of him.

Mr. Batey

Ought not the opportunity to have been taken to put as many as possible of the unemployed into these posts? Will the Minister not consult with the Minister of Labour to find employment for the unemployed rather than appoint to these posts persons already in receipt of a salary?

Sir J. Anderson

I do not think that is the point of the Question, and I believe that I should find strong support for the view that nothing in the nature of a means test ought to be applied in these cases.

Mr. Batey

We are not going to have that.

Mr. Speaker

rose—

Mr. Batey

On a point of Order. Because of that answer I give notice that I shall raise this Question on a future occasion.

67. Mr. Rhys Davies

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the Hindley District Council has passed a resolution of protest against whole-time air-raid precautions volunteers being expected to remain on duty for 12 hours per day; and whether he is proposing any alleviation of this position?

Sir J. Anderson

I have received a copy of the resolution referred to. As regards the last part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent (Mr. E. Smith) on 18th January.

73. Mr. Davidson

asked the Home Secretary the total number of married women whose husbands are employed, engaged on paid air-raid precautions work in Glasgow?

Sir J. Anderson

I regret that I have not the desired information.

Mr. Davidson

Is the Minister aware that a number of married women who undertook training for A.R.P. work in Glasgow before the war, when it was an unpaid service, have since been dismissed, and that other married women who joined up since the war, and since the service became a paid one, are related in some way or another to the officials of the local committee, and that they are still being retained: and is he also aware that this is creating dissatisfaction in the service in Glasgow?

Sir J. Anderson

Perhaps the hon. Member will put down a further Question on that point.