§ Sir R. Taskerasked the Minister of Health whether he will reconsider his decision to insist upon wooden slats for bunks in shelters in view of the fact that where wooden slats have been installed in the bunks they are frequently broken and harbour vermin?
Mr. M. MacDonaldThe contracts for the supply of bunks for public air raid shelters were placed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Home Security. My hon. Friend will realise that it was necessary to secure delivery and installation of the bunks without avoidable delay, and they had to be made of such materials as could readily be obtained without interference with the production of supplies of more direct and vital importance to the national war effort. The local authorities who control the shelters will, I am sure, take every practicable step to reduce breakages to a minimum and to disinfect any equipment which may be found to be verminous.