HC Deb 01 August 1939 vol 350 cc2212-3W
Mr. Parker

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about arrangements for the supply of air-raid shelters to householders not eligible to receive them free of charge?

Sir J. Anderson

As the hon. Member is aware, it has always been my intention that the standard steel shelters which are being distributed free of cost to certain classes of householders should be made available for purchase by other classes of householders as soon as a substantial part of the free distribution has been completed.

The Government has placed contracts for a total number of two and a half million shelters, and approximately one half of these will have been delivered by the end of this month. In many areas the free distribution is either completed or nearly completed. In my view, therefore, the stage has now been reached when sale may properly begin, on a small scale, to householders in the more vulnerable areas who are not within the scheme of free distribution; and I propose that a small percentage of the supplies available shall be offered for sale, beginning in September. By that time the rate of supply will, it is hoped, have increased to some 55,000 shelters a week, and I propose that of these 5,000 a week should be made available for purchase. It will be necessary to restrict sales in the first instance to a limited number of those areas which are most exposed to attack, leaving other areas to be added as the state of supply and demand permits.

The first sales will therefore be limited to one shelter per householder for his own use at a house in one of the following areas: —the county of London, East Ham, West Ham, 11 ford, Walthamstow, Tottenham; Birmingham; Newcastle, Sunderland and Gateshead; Manchester and Salford; and Hull. The arrangements which have been made by local authorities for the delivery of shelters issued under the scheme of free distribution have worked so admirably that I propose to ask these authorities to undertake the management of the sales. In this way the costs of distribution will be kept to a minimum, and the proper location of the shelters will be assured. It is proposed that the sales expenses of the authorities should be met by the inclusion in the selling price of a uniform sum per shelter for this purpose.

Until I have had some consultation with representatives of local authorities I cannot say what this addition will be and therefore cannot say at what price the shelters will be sold; but I expect that the price, which will include delivery to the house, and will remain unchanged until 31st December next, will be under 8 per shelter. The selling price may have to be revised thereafter. The terms of sale will be cash before delivery, but if the local authority in any area desires to arrange a plan for payment by instalments, I shall be prepared to consider proposals for such a plan, which would no doubt have to include provision for an appropriate addition to the price to cover the extra cost involved.