§ 12 and 13. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will raise the subsistence allowances payable to members of the Civil Defence Corps and the Auxiliary Fire Service to bring them into line with existing prices:
(2) if he will make a statement on the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Publicity and Recruitment for the Civil Defence and Allied Services: and what action he will take.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeI am glad to have this opportunity of expressing the appreciation of my colleagues and myself for the Committee's prompt and valuable report. We are considering their recommendations (which deal, among other things, with subsistence allowances) and shall announce our decisions on individual proposals without waiting until we have completed our consideration of the whole report. I have already announced my acceptance of the recommendation that local authorities should be authorised to designate controllers, and I shall shortly be sending them a circular on the subject. I have also commended the Committee's report to the attention of local authorities, to whom many of the Committee's suggestions are addressed.
§ Mr. SwinglerI thank the Minister for that reply. On the first Question, in view of the rise in the cost of living, particularly during the past 12 months, does he not agree with the Committee that the existing allowances are too low: and, on the second Question, will he 662 indicate when he will be able to make a statement about the other recommendations?
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeWith regard to the first Question, while not accepting the hon. Gentleman's premise, I will certainly look into that matter. At the moment, I cannot give an exact date, but, as I have indicated in my answer I do not intend to delay until we have considered the whole matter. Any matters on which we come to a decision will be announced at once. I will keep the hon. Gentleman informed when next I have any announcement to make.