78. Captain Shawasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has given his approval to members of the Home Guard voluntarily undertaking fire-watching duties at their place of business, as the Government have exempted them from such duty and as they are already liable to be called upon to help the police and fire brigade in case of need and in a state of emergency to be called upon to undertake military duties; and, if injured or killed while voluntarily undertaking such duty, for what compensation would they or their families rank?
§ Mr. LawMembers of the Home Guard have been exempted from enrolment for fire-protection duties because these duties may have to be performed at the same time as existing duties of the Home Guard, but the regulations are not intended to prevent a member of the Home Guard undertaking voluntary fire-prevention duty in his capacity as a citizen. Members of the Home Guard injured or killed while undertaking the duties voluntarily would not be eligible for compensation on the Home Guard scales as they would fall to be dealt with under the 1085 Ministry of Pensions Scheme of compensation in the same way as Civil Defence volunteers undertaking these duties.