§ Sir G. FOXasked the Home Secretary whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the supply of anti-gas respirators to the civilian population in case of air attack?
§ Mr. LLOYDYes, Sir. A simple but effective form of respirator, for use by the civil population, has been devised and the final design is now being settled. The Government propose to accumulate sufficient stocks of this respirator to enable issue to be made to all persons in areas exposed to danger in the event of air attack. The issue would be made free of charge. In the event of attack from the air everyone would be advised to remain indoors in a gasproofed room in order to avoid danger of contamination; and the respirators for the use of the civil population would primarily be of service for the purpose of enabling people who were out of doors when a raid occurred or whose gasproofed rooms had been damaged, to get to a place of safety. The Government are fully alive to the need for providing for the needs of young children and babies and special methods of protection are being developed for this purpose. It may be anticipated that many factories in this country will seek to put on the market respirators of their own design and the Government have devised a scheme, the details of which are about to be published, by which manufacturers who make approved types of respirators and who accept various conditions, including liability to Government inspection, will be licensed to affix a Home Office certification mark to their respirators. Purchasers will be well advised not to regard respirators as satisfactory unless they bear this mark.