HC Deb 09 February 1953 vol 511 cc33-8
Mr. Speaker

I wish to inform the House that I have received telegrams of sympathy in connection with the recent disastrous floods and the serious loss of life and damage to property from:

  • The President of the National Assembly, France.
  • The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Luxembourg.
  • The President of the Chamber of Deputies, Italy.
  • The President of the Norwegian Storting, Oslo.
  • The President of the National Assembly, Portugal.
  • The Chairman of the Chamber of Representatives, Belgium.
  • The Speaker of the Knesset, Israel.
  • The President of the Greek Parliament. Athens.
I am sure that the House would wish me to express the thanks of all hon. Members to the senders of these telegrams. [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."] This I have done.

I also desire to inform the House that I have sent a telegram to the Voorzitter of the Second Chamber of the Netherlands States-General, expressing the deep sympathy of all Members of this House with the Dutch people in their sorrow caused by the recent disastrous floods in the Netherlands.

Hon. Members

Hear, hear.

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Sir David Maxwell Fyfe)

I will, with your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, make a brief statement about the flooded areas on the East Coast.

As the House may be aware, I took the opportunity this morning of flying over some of these areas and had the advantage of discussing the situation with responsible officials on the spot. I am glad to be able to inform the House that my general impression is that the most strenuous efforts have been made to repair our defences and that the work is proceeding as well as could be expected in view of the difficulties which had to be surmounted. In addition to voluntary helpers and the labour employed by contractors, there are now over 14.000 members of the Armed Forces employed on this work.

One of the pressing needs at the moment is for an extra supply of sandbags. The stocks which were held by the Services have been freely placed at the disposal of the civil authorities, with due regard to essential Service commitments, and these supplies are being supplemented by the stocks of sandbags held for civilian purposes. Over 20.000,000 sandbags from Service and Civil Defence reserves have already been used. Although it is hoped that existing stocks will see us through, we are seeing if we can create a reserve supply from other sources.

I hope to be in a position later this week to inform the House of emergency arrangements for giving local warnings should the floods at the next spring tides endanger human life and property. Final details of the scheme are being worked out at a conference held this afternoon at the Home Office with chief constables and representatives of all the authorities concerned. I also hope to be able to give information later this week about arrangements for collecting and distributing furniture, offers of which are coming in generously from the public.

The right hon. Gentleman the Member for South Shields (Mr. Ede) raised a point on Friday about the desirability of making some closer estimate of the numbers of those missing. I undertook to look into this point as a matter of urgency and, as the House is aware, an appeal was made on the wireless and through the Press to those who had left their homes and had not reported to the authorities to give information as to their whereabouts to the nearest police station. It may never be possible to give any exact figure of the numbers of those missing, since there is no accurate information available as to the numbers of those who were actually in the areas concerned at the times of flooding; but the latest information available to the police suggests that the total of missing is about 50, most of them being from Canvey Island.

Since my last statement to the House 19 more deaths have been confirmed, so that the total number of deaths now known to the police is 283.

The Committee of Ministers of which I am Chairman has met every day except Sunday and will continue to meet during the continuance of this emergency. I shall make a report to the House from time to time as and when information becomes available which ought to be given to the House, but I think that the House will agree that it will not be necessary in future for me to give daily reports.

Mr. Follick

I sent you notice, Mr. Speaker, that I wished to raise a question based on a complaint which I have received from one of my constituents. He states that he was shocked while listening to "In Town Tonight," on the wireless, to hear that an Italian singer, who was bringing blankets and comforts for British flood victims, had been made to pay Customs duty on them because they were new. Does the Home Secretary think that it is right that people from abroad, sympathising with the distress of our flood victims and wishing to make a contribution towards easing their unhappiness, should be charged import duty on the gifts which they are bringing? Does he not think that unless this practice is stopped foreign sympathisers will not send these gifts, and that we shall lose their sympathy when they know that the Treasury are cashing in on the distress of flood victims?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I am sorry, but this is the first information I have had on that point, and, therefore, I must ask the hon. Gentleman and the House to allow me to look into it.

Commander Scott-Miller

While thanking my right hon. and learned Friend for his statement regarding the warning arrangements, which will calm a lot of my constituents in King's Lynn, may I ask him if the Committee of Ministers will consider some form of recognition for the splendid work which has been done by the United States Air Force and Army Authorities in my division? We have suffered a tragic number of lost lives, and the number would have been considerably greater if we had not had members of the United States Air Force risking their lives in carrying out rescue work.

Would the Government consider some form of citation or letter of appreciation either to the Colonel of Sculthorpe Aerodrome or to some other authority? The United States Forces have not only saved lives, but they have organised a kitchen to distribute food in King's Lynn for nearly a week, and the people there are very grateful to them.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I have already expressed our gratitude and indebtedness to the United States Forces, and the whole House joined with me in so doing. We are now even more grateful for what is being done. I will consider the point raised by my hon. and gallant Friend.

Mr. Edward Evans

Will the Home Secretary be good enough to indicate to local authorities how far the Government propose to implement the promise by the Prime Minister last week that the disaster would be made a national charge, how local authorities are to submit their claims and how it is proposed to compensate individuals for the terrible losses which they have sustained?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I indicated last week that the cost of repairs to sea and river defences which can properly be regarded as emergency work will be met by the Exchequer. The scope of other Government assistance must depend on the extent of personal loss at it becomes known, and upon the field to be covered by the Lord Mayor's National Flood and Tempest Distress Fund. Meanwhile, those whose needs are not covered by unemployment benefit or other resources may apply in the usual way to the National Assistance Board to deal with emergencies. I shall certainly consider the point raised by the hon. Gentleman as to the methods by which local authorities should submit claims; but I thought it might be convenient to confirm the point I have just mentioned, as it is a very important one.

Commander Maitland

Will my right hon. and learned Friend inform the House and the people of this country as soon as possible how individual claims for compensation and rehabilitation are to be made?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

That was the point raised by the hon. Member for Lowestoft (Mr. Edward Evans). I shall do my utmost to see that that is done with the greatest possible speed.

Mr. P. Wells

Is the Home Secretary aware that, in addition to the members of the three Services who are doing a grand job on the Isle of Sheppey, every able-bodied prisoner in the open prison on the Isle of Sheppey volunteered to undertake rescue and 'repair work? Will he consider compensating them in some way for the efforts which they are making?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I am very glad that the hon. Member has raised that point. Perhaps he will give me a little time to consider how it should be met.

Major Legge-Bourke

Will my right hon. and learned Friend bear in mind that at the time of the spring tides all the river boards responsible for the rivers draining into the Wash have a very anxious time every year, and in view of the enormous amount of reserves which have been used for this most necessary and urgent work, will he ensure that they are built up again for that contingency?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I will certainly bear that point in mind.