§ 60. Mr. Wootton-Daviesasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what instructions are being issued to civil servants with regard to joining the Home Guard; and whether, in the case of civil servants whose work will continue to be essential under invasion conditions, it can be made clear that if they join the Home Guard, it will be for the Minister in charge of their Department and not the military authorities to say when and under what conditions they may temporarily abandon their Civil Service activities and participate in Home Guard defensive operations?
§ Captain CrookshankDepartments have been asked to do all they can, consistent with Departmental needs, to enable and encourage civil servants to play their full part in the Home Guard, whether as members of local or of Departmental Units. In view of the liability of members of the Home Guard to be "mustered" for the purpose of resisting an actual or apprehended invasion, Departments have been instructed themselves to divide their employees who continue as, or become members of, the Home Guard into two categories. The first category consists of those who can be made available immediately for full-time military service. The second category consists of those who can be made available only at a later stage because of indispensable preoccupation with essential civil duties. These would have to report within 48 hours, and would 511 then be instructed whether to parade for military duty, or to continue their civil duties for a further period according to the operational situation at the time.