§ 26. Mr. Manderasked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the advisability of providing gas blankets across the entrance to public refuges which are not gas-proof; and whether adequate provision has been made for the supply of anti-gas ointment to air-raid precautions units?
§ Sir J. AndersonI am about to instruct local authorities that, where they have not already done so, they should now instal gas curtains in public shelters, or arrange to have them available for installation at short notice. As regards the second part of the Question, the supplies of anti-gas ointment required for the authorised establishments of the various A.R.P. Services have already been made.
§ Mr. ManderIs it not rather late in the day, if not too late, to issue instructions about blankets? Should it not have been done months ago?
§ Sir J. AndersonI do not think so. It was intended at the beginning to secure that in the construction of air-raid shelters 384 provision should be made whereby curtains could be put up without further structural alterations. It would have been a great mistake to instal curtains from the beginning.