HC Deb 02 November 1939 vol 352 cc2118-9W
Sir G. Fox

asked the Home Secretary (1) whether he is collecting the many gasmasks whose owners have now been furnished with service gas-masks; and what use he proposes to make of them;

(2) whether he is aware that, owing to the distribution of the service gas-masks, many men serving in the Navy and in the Air Force now have in addition gas-masks originally distributed which they no longer need; and what steps are being taken to collect this surplus equipment for alternative use?

Sir G. Fox

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, owing to the distribution of the service gas-masks many serving men now have in addition gas-masks originally distributed which they no longer need; and what steps are being taken to collect this surplus equipment for alternative use?

Sir J. Anderson

I understand these questions to refer only to persons who receive service respirators on joining some branch of the fighting Services. I am informed that the civilian respirators in the possession of these persons are withdrawn, and in the case of the Army there is a recent arrangement whereby the withdrawn respirators are for the time being held by the Army authorities. In the case of the Navy and the Air Force the withdrawn respirators are returned to the local authority, but I am proposing to make more specific arrangements for their collection.

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