§ Mr. Priceasked the Home Secretary what steps are being taken to prevent unreliable elements from becoming or remaining members of air-raid precautions bodies and Local Defence Volunteers?
§ Sir J. AndersonAs I stated in reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Mr. Silkin) on 30th May, the primary responsibility for satisfying themselves as to the complete reliability of individual members of the Civil Defence services rests with local authorities. I have no reason to doubt that the responsible authorities are fully aware of the importance, more particularly at the present juncture, of satisfying themselves in this matter, but I have already directed their special attention to the desirability of taking steps to remove from the services any person in whose reliability they have not complete confidence. The responsibility for the Local Defence Volunteers rests with the War Office but I understand that arrangements have been made for the careful scrutiny of all applicants for enrolment in that Service.