55. Miss Wardasked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the desirability of establishing a trained service, recruited locally in each region, to man 1136 information centres to which persons suffering from the results of enemy action may receive expert advice without having to go from place to place?
Mr. M. MacDonaldInstructions have been issued that there should be at every rest centre an officer responsible for advising homeless people on the various forms of assistance available to them. In London, this arrangement is complete, and a similar arrangement is already operating in many of the centres in other regions. In addition, there is in every large centre of population a citizen's advice bureau from which similar information can be obtained.
Miss WardIs this a paid service of trained workers, and, in areas which have not yet been bombed, is an arrangement for persons to be available already made, or will the areas have to wait until bombing takes place before they can call upon the personnel?
Mr. MacDonaldInstructions have been given that preparations should be made now, and I trust that those instructions are being carried out, in all the large centres of population. In regard to the first part of the Question, in some places the work is done by a paid officer, and in others by a qualified person who prefers to remain a voluntary worker.
Miss WardFrom what source are the workers drawn? Can the right hon. Gentleman say that arrangements have now been made, because in one Northern town the other day no arrangements whatsoever had been made?
Mr. MacDonaldIf the hon. Lady will confirm the impression which I have formed as to which is the Northern town, I will make specific inquiries. With regard to the first part of the Question, the personnel is drawn from different sources. In some cases, for instance, it is a school teacher, in another case a public assistance officer and in still other cases, as I have said, voluntary workers.
§ 57. Mr. Mainwaringasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps should be taken by persons concerned to take advantage of the Government's policy, broadcast on Saturday, 12th October, by the British Broadcasting Corporation, that all persons having suffered from enemy action and in urgent need of 1137 clothes, etc., but without the means to obtain them, can obtain assistance by application to the nearest Assistance Board office?
§ The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Captain Crookshank)Any person in need of assistance should at once apply to the nearest Assistance Board office.
§ Mr. MainwaringAre we to understand from that reply that any person in this country in urgent need of a change of clothing, or it may be without a change even of first-hand clothing, can obtain clothing or money to supply himself with clothing by immediate application to an Assistance Board office?
§ Captain CrookshankWithin limits, which have already been explained to the House.
§ Mr. MainwaringBut this is a policy which has been annunciated by the British Broadcasting Corporation—presumably an official declaration by the Government. Are we now to understand that the Government accept fully the responsibility for the statement made on behalf of the British Broadcasting Corporation?
§ Captain CrookshankI think my right hon. Friend has explained to this House what the position is. There is, of course, an income limit above which it is not possible to get grants, but below those limits there is no difficulty at all.
§ Mr. MainwaringBut the point is this—
§ Mr. Speakerrose—
§ Mr. MainwaringOn a point of Order. This is a case where, presumably, the Government's policy has been annunciated. It is profoundly misleading to large numbers of people in this country, and it is doing a very grave injustice and imposing undue hardships and cruelty upon these people.