§ 4.15 p.m.
§ VISCOUNT SWINTONMy Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government this further Question of which I have given private notice—namely, whether they are in a position to make a statement about the Home Guard.
§ VISCOUNT HALLMy Lords, I am grateful to the noble Viscount for this Question, for it enables me to make a statement similar to that which was made in another place yesterday by the Minister of Defence. The Government have decided that a Home Guard should be raised on a part-time basis in a future emergency. The Home Guard will not be enrolled before an actual emergency arises, but planning measures are being put in hand at once, including the appointment of a Home Guard Adviser in each Army Command at home, which will ensure that a substantial force can be en-rolled, organised and armed within a few weeks of the order to proceed. The Home Guard will form part of the Armed Forces of the Crown, and its functions will be broadly similar to those which the Home Guard performed so admirably in the recent war. It will be concerned mainly with supporting the Regular Forces by relieving them of certain subsidiary tasks, 362 and with giving assistance to the civil authorities in a wide range of duties. The Home Guard will be raised and operated on a Territorial basis, and will be administered by the War Office through the medium of Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Associations. Command will be exercised through normal Service channels.
The Government recognise that the duties which may have to be performed by part-time services in a future emergency cannot accurately be estimated in advance so as to enable a precise allocation of part-time man-power to be made between Civil Defence and the Home Guard. The plans for each Service will therefore have to be made with a considerable degree of elasticity.
In the meantime, the Government desire to make it plain that no one should refrain from volunteering now for part-time work in the Civil Defence services, or in the Special Constabulary, on the ground that he might more suitably serve later on in the Home Guard. The training which potential Home Guard members would receive by joining Civil Defence services or the Special Constabulary would be of considerable value if they should later wish to join, and can be accepted for, the Home Guard on its formation.
§ VISCOUNT BRIDGEMANMy Lords, while thanking the noble Viscount, I should like to ask him whether he realises that this statement, although I think it may be open to criticism in part, and although it gives little explanation of the delay in its production, will none the less be received with wide satisfaction in many parts of the country, particularly as it announces the decision once again to administer the Home Guard through the Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Associations. There are three important questions which I want to ask the noble Viscount, Lord Hall, at this stage. First of all, I am under the impression that the noble Viscount's right honourable friend in another place, yesterday gave an undertaking that there would be no un-reasonable difficulty about men who en-rolled in Civil Defence units transferring at a later stage to the Home Guard. Perhaps the noble Viscount will confirm this. Secondly, can the noble Viscount give us a little more information about the statutory measures which will have 363 to be taken, perhaps not now but a little later on, to make it possible to enrol the Home Guard in peace time if it is necessary? Is a Bill to be brought in and then operated by Order-in-Council, or what is to happen? Perhaps I could put down a Question on that point a little later.
§ VISCOUNT HALLYes.
§ VISCOUNT BRIDGEMANThe third, and as I think the most important question, is this: Is it intended that, amongst its other duties for the assistance of the Regular Forces, the Home Guard shall be used to assist in anti-aircraft duties under the command of Anti-Aircraft Command? I ask this particularly, because, if so, I would suggest that the arrangements for enrolling at a later date may not be quite so satisfactory for anti-aircraft units as the Government appear to think they are for ordinary ground units.
§ VISCOUNT HALLIn answer to the last question, it is the intention, so far as I know, that the Home Guard shall carry out exactly the same duties as they carried out during the last world war.
§ VISCOUNT BRIDGEMANIncluding anti-aircraft duties?
§ VISCOUNT HALLI should think anti-aircraft duties will certainly be included, but I will make inquiries, and if that should not be so I will certainly let the noble Viscount know. With regard to his question about legislation, of course legislation will have to be introduced before the Home Guard can be established, particularly in peace time. If the noble Viscount will repeat his question at some time in the future, I have no doubt that he will receive an answer which will be satisfactory to him. As to the noble Viscount's first question. I thought that my right honourable friend had made the position quite clear in the statement which he made in another place yesterday. If the noble Viscount will read that statement, he will see that all facilities will be granted for the transfer of men who may be serving in Civil Defence or any other voluntary organisation to the Home Guard.
LORD CLYDESMUIRCan the noble Viscount say at this stage whether the extra assistance which Territorial associations will require for this work will be forthcoming? He will recollect that the associations carried out this work during the last war. At that time, of course, the Territorial Army was mobilised and, therefore, was no longer under their care. When the time comes for the Home Guard to be established again, they may have to take on this additional work while they are still concerned with the Territorial Army. May we take it that when there is need for extra assistance that need will be fully taken into account by the Government?
§ VISCOUNT HALLThe noble Lord will understand that the Home Guard Adviser who is to be appointed to each of the Commands will act not as a liaison officer but as an adviser to the War Office or to His Majesty's Government in connection with any detailed matters which may arise, such as that to which the noble Lord has referred.
EARL BATHURSTMy Lords, do I understand that again it will be largely up to local individuals or local firms to raise particular units for the Home Guard, just as they did in the last war? If so, will instructions be issued to such firms and to such individuals as to how they are to secure equipment and, generally, as to what measures for purposes of organisation they are to take. Will instructions in relation to such matters be coming out fairly soon?
§ VISCOUNT HALLThere is no doubt that the persons who will be appointed as Home Guard Advisers will contact all organisations and individuals who can render any assistance in the formation of the Home Guard, which I am sure will carry out its duties, if necessary, as successfully as the Home Guard did during the last war.