3. Colonel Arthur Evansasked the Secretary of State for War whether the services of officers experienced with the British Expeditionary Force in the present war are being utilised in the branch of the War Office and on general headquarters, home forces, responsible for the administration of the Local Defence Volunteers?
§ The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Eden)Yes, Sir.
4 Mr. De la Bèreasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in connection with the recent appointment of an Inspector-General of the Local Defence Volunteers, every endeavour will be made to ensure that the subordinate staff working under him are selected from those who have special knowledge of the requirements of the Local Defence Volunteers in country areas, since many areas have special problems occasioned by their geographical position?
§ Mr. EdenThe principle advocated by my hon. Friend has been applied, and General Pownall has now appointed on his staff a liaison officer in each command with local knowledge. This will, I trust, result in the smooth working which my hon. Friend and I both desire.
Mr. De la BèreIs my right hon. Friend aware of the possibility that this subject has been approached from the wrong angle and that still more is required? I 1054 welcome what he said, but would he see that the right men with local knowledge are given every opportunity of utilising that local knowledge?
§ Mr. EdenI had that fact in mind when making these arrangements, but I am very grateful to my hon. Friend for his suggestion.
Mr. De la BèreWould my right hon. Friend look at the Opinion column in the "Daily Express" this morning, in which there are some very apt suggestions?
§ Major-General Sir Alfred KnoxIs not military knowledge useful as well as local knowledge?
§ Mr. GallacherIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the best men are the men of the International Brigade, but that attempts have been made to keep them out?
§ Mr. CocksWill the liaison officers get in touch with the county surveyors who have knowledge of the districts?
§ 7. Mr. Cocksasked the Secretary of State for War whether, whilst recognising that the requirements of the Army and the Local Defence Volunteers must first be satisfied, he will consider issuing arms, as they become available, to ex-service men between the ages of 40 and 55 years, and to the inhabitants of lonely farmhouses and isolated residences?
§ Mr. EdenIt is open to all men between the ages of 17 and 65 to apply to join the Local Defence Volunteers to whom arms are being issued.
§ Mr. CocksBut the Secretary of State is surely aware that many ex-servicemen are not able to do that, and would the right hon. Gentleman answer the latter part of my Question?
§ Mr. EdenThe arms which are available should clearly in the first instance be made available for the organised bodies.
§ Mr. CocksWhile I realise that fact, will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to deal with the others when the arms are available?
§ 20. Mr. Ammonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that 1055 Mr. Jack White, British-born Jew and holder of the Victoria Cross, was expelled from the Manchester Local Defence Volunteers on the grounds that his father, who came to this country from Russia 50 years ago, was not naturalised; and whether he will take steps to prevent such discrimination, which is calculated to prevent the best qualified recruits being obtained?
§ Mr. EdenUnder present rules, a man whose father was foreign, and did not become a naturalised British subject, is ineligible to join the Local Defence Volunteers, but I agree that this rule should be relaxed in cases such as that referred to in the Question, and I am giving instructions in this sense.
§ Mr. SorensenDoes the right hon. Gentleman not realise that even in cases where a person has not won the V.C. the anomaly exists?
§ Mr. G. StraussCan the Minister issue an instruction that any man who served in the last war should be eligible?
§ 25. Sir Richard Aclandasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give such instructions, through the chief signal officers or otherwise, as will result in all available Post Office resources being used to equip all Local Defence Volunteers observation posts with permanent telephone connection with main telephone exchanges at the earliest possible moment?
§ 16. Mr. Robert Morganasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Local Defence Volunteer force was informed by the county commander at Stafford that they could arrange to have a telephone fixed in their headquarters, but that when they did so the Post Office officials came and took it away on instructions from the War Office that such telephones were not to be fixed; what is the policy of the Department with regard to the use of telephones under these circumstances; and whether he will state the objections to the installation of such a telephone at this headquarters?
§ Mr. EdenI am making inquiries as to what took place at Stafford, but I have already received a report that the telephone has now been restored. Arrangements are being made generally for the necessary telephone facilities.
§ Sir R. AclandWould it be possible to give instructions to members of the Local Defence Volunteer Force as to what procedure they should follow if they want to get a telephone? I have a feeling that they do not know what to do.
§ 28. Mr. Cocksasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the official announcement of Government policy in the broadcast made by the Lord President of the Council, that in case of an invasion it is intended to fight the Germans in every village and in every home, he will take steps to place every village in a state of defence?
§ Mr. EdenAs my hon. Friend has already been informed, local defences must be organised in relation to the defence of the country as a whole.
§ Mr. CocksIf it is a fact that we are to fight in every village, should not every village be fortified?
§ Mr. EdenNot necessarily. We can fight without fortifications. My hon. Friend may remember that Sparta had no wall.
§ Mr. George GriffithsIs not the Minister aware that there are thousands of volunteers all over the country who are getting disheartened because they have nothing to fight with?
§ 45. Colonel Wedgwoodasked the Prime Minister whether he contemplates requiring civil servants, municipal clerks and employés, etc., to take their share of Local Defence Volunteer and unpaid air-raid precautions work?
§ The Lord Privy Seal (Mr. Attlee)In view of the very satisfactory response for Local Defence Volunteers, no measure of compulsion is contemplated. As regards the Civil Defence services, I would refer my right hon. Friend to the reply 1057 given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Home Affairs to my hon. Friend the Member for Moseley (Sir P. Hannon) on 4th July.
§ Colonel WedgwoodDid that reply refer specifically to the Civil Service, because if there is a lack of men for the A.R.P. services, might they not draw on civil servants?
§ Mr. AttleeMy reply dealt with the question of compulsion. If the right hon. and gallant Gentleman wants to put a further Question, he should put it to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Home Security.