§ 22. Mr. H. Hyndasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which of the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Publicity and Recruitment for the Civil Defence and Allied Services, Command Paper No. 8708, have been adopted; and whether he will make a statement on the other recommendations.
§ Sir D. Maxwell FyfeAs the answer is rather long, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Following is the answer:
The majority of the recommendations which the Committee addressed to the Government have been adopted and the others are under consideration. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I commended to the attention of local authorities immediately the report was published those recommendations which were addressed to them. Civil Defence Corps authorities were authorised early in December to designate controllers. A circular will shortly be issued announcing an increase in subsistence allowances for volunteers. Two new training films are now available for hire or purchase and others are planned. I am considering, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, the possibility of producing a recruiting film. Expenditure on advertising will be maintained at the present rate. It has not, however, been found possible to accept the recommendation that charges for the hire of films from the Central Film Library should be reduced or eliminated.My right hon. Friend and I have again urged local authorities to develop house-to-house canvassing, and advice and help on local publicity continues to be available to them. A circular on ranks and badges of rank will be issued shortly after consultation with the local authority associations. I am consulting the Industrial Panel of the Civil Defence Joint Planning Staff on recruiting in industry and the collection of comprehensive statistics.