HC Deb 13 February 1953 vol 511 cc749-53
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 East Coast floods.

Two further deaths have been confirmed since my last statement, so that the total number of deaths known to the police is now 290.

Steady progress has been made with work on the sea defences, although progress has been somewhat hampered in the last day or two by bad weather. The new defences have so far been standing up against the tides, but the real testing period is still to come.

I have been asked by the Women's Voluntary Services to say that the appeal for clothing for people in the flooded areas has brought a most generous response, and that no more parcels should now be sent, as the stocks which have been received should be sufficient to meet all likely demands, and to enable a substantial contribution to be made to Holland.

As regards the appeal for bedding, the public are reminded that the facilities for free postage and free road or rail transport will end on Tuesday of next week, 17th February.

As I have mentioned the admirable work done by the Women's Voluntary Services more than once, I should like to take this opportunity of paying a most sincere tribute to the devotion and high service of other voluntary organisations, notably the British Red Cross, the St. John Ambulance Brigade and the Salvation Army.

During the weekend, no volunteers should on their own initiative go to any of the flooded areas. Such volunteers should give their names to the office of the Ministry of Labour and National Service nearest their own homes. If their services are required, they will be told what to do by the Ministry of Labour office where they have registered.

I should again like to appeal to the public to refrain from paying unnecessary visits to the area.

Considerable stocks of sandbags are still held in this country and should prove sufficient to meet all immediate needs, provided there is no fresh disaster. But it is urgently necessary to provide a reserve, and an appeal has therefore been made to foreign Governments to supply any quantities of sandbags which they may have available. About five million sandbags have already been offered by European Governments, and Her Majesty's Government are extremely grateful for this response. The R.A.F. now have in operation an air lift to transport a large part of these supplies. The U.S. Government have also offered to make a large quantity available. At the same time, steps have been taken with the co-operation of the industry to increase the production of sandbags in this country to a maximum.

Mr. Ede

I am quite sure that the whole House will join with the Home Secretary in expressing thanks to the various voluntary organisations which have assisted in the work in the areas where this disaster overtook our fellow countrymen. It is another outstanding example of the way in which the people of this country have the capacity, through their voluntary organisations, and without any pressure, to rise spontaneously to any demand that either nature or other circumstances may make upon them, and I should particularly like to join with the right hon. and learned Gentleman in what he said about the amount of clothing that has been contributed, particularly, if I may say so, through the schools of the country.

I was in a small school last Friday evening, when the headmaster, at a parent-teacher meeting, thanked the parents for having supplied five van loads of clothing, every article of which, after personal inspection, was such that no child in the country need be ashamed of wearing it. We all know the circumstances of people in these times—even of ourselves—in the matter of spare clothing. That is a great tribute to the spontaneous feeling of sympathy for fellow countrymen in distress.

I am quite sure that we would all like to join the right hon. and learned Gentleman in his thanks to other European countries for the immediate response that they have made in the matter of sandbags. After all, that is an example of international co-operation, without a conference and without drawing up an agenda to see on what points we can differ, which shows human nature and the co-operation of Governments at their very best.

Mr. Pannell

In connection with the debate next Thursday, will the Home Secretary consider whether he can issue some sort of document for the general guidance of the House as to the sort of things that Ministers have done on the points that are outstanding? May I call his attention to the fact that he ought to get in touch with most of the other Government Departments to find out what they are doing in a way that might embarrass him?

I have had sent to me two advertisements which indicate that stocks of industrial stores and Government surplus stocks have been sold by the Ministry of Works at two auctions. Much of these stocks comprised many hundreds of chairs, bedsteads, and things of that kind, and it gives a completely wrong impression if this sort of advertisement appears from one Government Depart- ment when a general appeal is being made by local authorities. It is rather necessary in this matter that Government Departments do not appear to be doing things that are in conflict with the overall control which the right hon. and learned Gentleman is exercising.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

The first point had not occurred to me, and I should like to think it over. With regard to the second point, I did not mention it but the Committee of which I am chairman has continued to meet daily. It is meeting today and will meet tomorrow and continually while necessary, and I shall bring up the point which the hon. Member has mentioned and have the matter investigated.

Colonel J. H. Harrison

There are rumours among some of these unfortunate men that their permanent employment has been lost, and they are beginning to worry whether they will continue to be employed because the job that they have been doing no longer exists. A Government Department employs about 200 men in my own constituency, a large part of which has been entirely under water, and I should be grateful if my right hon. and learned Friend would stress as widely as possible that if people's old employment is not at the moment available, a great deal of work will be available under either Government Departments or local authorities in rebuilding and getting the sea defences right.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

Clearly there will be, as my hon. and gallant Friend has said, a great deal of work for the purposes which he mentions. With regard to the more general problem, I do not think it is one that can be dealt with adequately by question and answer. I am quite sure that it will be raised when we debate this matter on Thursday, and my hon. and gallant Friend may take this assurance and convey it to his constituents that this is a problem which is very deeply and urgently in the minds of Her Majesty's Ministers.

Mr. J. Hudson

Relating to the last question, could an early opportunity be found to express thanks, on behalf of the Government and of the House, to employers who have seen to it that workers who have been driven out by the floods should be covered by wages over the period of emergency to enable them to meet their difficulties? A number of firms have acted in this way, and if all firms were to do so. it would very much ease the situation.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

I am grateful to the hon. Member for drawing attention to that matter, and I am sure that everyone would like to be associated with him in paying tribute to those who have so acted.