§ 4. Mr. Dempseyasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the inadequacy of the grant for home safety propaganda; and if he will increase it.
§ The Joint Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. George Thomas)The grant made by the Home Office towards the home safety work of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has been £5,000 in each of the financial years 1963–64 and 1964–65. MY right hon. and learned Friend is at present considering an application from the Society for this sum to be increased and he will inform the Society of his decision as soon as possible.
§ Mr. DempseyIs my hon. Friend aware that more accidents take place in the home than on the roads, yet a larger amount of money is spent on road safety propaganda than on home safety propaganda? In view of this, will my hon. Friend, while he is considering the application, provide a much more realistic sum of money so as to enable the prevention of accidents in the home to become a reality?
§ Mr. ThomasWe are aware that a much larger sum is spent on road safety work, but we do not under-estimate the good work that is done by the Royal Society. Every care will he taken when my right hon. and learned Friend reaches his decision to see if an increase is justified.
§ Mr. CostainIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in the last Session I had the privilege of introducing a Bill on home safety which gave local authorities greater privileges for spending money on this? Can the hon. Gentleman give us any indication of what moneys have been spent?
§ Mr. ThomasNot without a Question, but I can tell the House that the hon. Gentleman is quite right. Local authorities could do more to help under the Home Safety Act, 1961.