25. Mr. Jenkinsasked the Home Secretary whether he can state the number of Anderson shelters supplied in Newport (Monmouthshire), Cardiff and Swansea; and whether, and when, it is intended to supply shelters to districts adjacent to those towns?
§ Sir J. AndersonThe number of householders' steel shelters supplied to Newport, Cardiff, and Swansea is 12,661, 29,790 and 16,423 respectively. These figures include a small number in transit from manufacturers' works. The shelters are being supplied only to areas specified under Part III of the Civil Defence Act. Unless, therefore, the adjacent districts which the hon. Member has in mind are so specified, shelters will not be supplied to them.
§ 26. Mr. E. J. Williamsasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the Bridgend Urban District Council has been urging, for six months, the erection of public shelters in Bridgend because of its vulnerability; that plans have been prepared and submitted to the county authority, and that nothing has been done; and whether he will take steps to hasten the erection of public shelters in this important town?
§ Sir J. AndersonI understand that work has already begun on public surface shelters in Bridgend and is due to begin at once on public trench shelters.
Viscountess AstorWill the Minister look into the question of these shelters, because I have been told by someone who was in Poland that more people were killed in shelters there than in the open?
§ Sir J. AndersonI think that is a separate question.
§ 39. Captain Hammersleyasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that some of the domestic air-raid shelters in the Willesden area are waterlogged; that the local authorities have not been able to effect a remedy; and what steps he is taking to ensure that these shelters are capable of being used for the purpose for which they are intended?
§ Sir J. AndersonYes, Sir, the problem has for some months been engaging the constant attention of the local authorities in this area, who have been dealing with certain shelters experimentally. The abnormal weather conditions which have prevailed until recently have, however, made the work peculiarly difficult and have prevented the authorities from reaching definite conclusions which are a necessary preliminary to the undertaking of remedial measures on a large scale. Further experiments are in progress, and I hope to know the results shortly.
§ Captain HammersleyIs my right hon. Friend taking steps to expedite the results of these experiments, as the shelters are still unusable?
§ Sir J. AndersonYes, Sir. My technical advisers are in constant touch with the local authorities in the matter, with a view to expediting measures for dealing with this problem.
§ Mr. R. C. MorrisonCould not the right hon. Gentleman consider giving some advice over the wireless to people, so that in cases where there may be a little water in their shelters they do not wait till somebody can come and deal with it from the local authority, but are able to put the matter right for themselves?