§ Sir Smedley Crookeasked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the advisability of granting exemption from fireguard duty to parochial clergy, as is done to doctors, in view of the fact that experience has shown that wherever danger from bombing has been the greatest the clergy are out and about ministering to their people, and their example has been a valuable factor in the maintenance of morale?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI cannot see my way to exempt ministers of religion from taking their share with the laity of fire prevention duties, but I fully agree that this should be so arranged as to cause the minimum of interference with their spiritual duties. I have accordingly asked regional commissioners to arrange that local authorities should ensure that ministers, of religion are assigned fire prevention duties either at their own churches or places of worship or in the immediate neighbourhood of their own residences.