HC Deb 02 June 1938 vol 336 cc2255-6W
Mr. C. Wilson

asked the Home Secretary whether, in the case of persons who daily travel from home to one or more business premises and to one or more places where they render public service, they will be supplied with a gas mask for each place, or whether they must take their one mask from place to place as has to be done by children attending school?

Mr. Lloyd:

Civilian duty and service respirators for those engaged upon airraid precautions services will be retained at the depots of those services and will be issued when duty is taken up and returned when it is completed. As regards civilian respirators, it is not proposed to supply more than one to each person and a person leaving home will have to carry it with him.

Mr. Riley

asked the Home Secretary what is meant by the words in emergency in relation to schoolchildren carrying respirators to and from school?

Mr. Lloyd:

I presume that the hon. Member is referring to the answer which I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Attercliffe (Mr. C. Wilson) on 26th May. What I meant was that if in a time of war a situation arose in which it was thought desirable for children to continue to attend school but nevertheless there was a risk of gas attack, school children, like other members of the community, would carry respirators.