§ Mr. Prittasked the Home Secretary for what number of persons satisfactory shelter protection against aerial attack has already been provided under the respective heads of steel surface-shelters, strutted domestic basements, domestic shelters, factories, commercial premises and mines employing more than 50 persons, other factories, commercial premises and mines, and public shelters; for what further numbers it is proposed to make provision; and for what number of persons entitled to the provision of free materials for air-raid shelter purposes it has so far proved impossible to provide satisfactory flood-proof shelter falling within one of the first three classes above mentioned?
§ Sir J. AndersonI regret that I am not in a position to give, under the various categories enumerated in the question, the statistical information for which the hon. and learned Member asks.
Mr. Davidsonasked the Home Secretary whether he will state the total number of persons in the Possilpark district of Glasgow for whom air-raid shelter is provided?
§ Sir J. AndersonI have already promised to write to the hon. Member regarding the position as regards air-raid shelter in Glasgow generally, and I will include in that communication information about the particular district mentioned in this question.
§ Mr. Prittasked the Home Secretary what steps are being taken to provide air-raid shelter protection in dangerous areas for the following classes of persons, namely: employés of commercial firms; factories or mines employing fewer than 1284W 50 persons; persons entitled to receive, free of charge, material for shelter, but for whom it is impossible to provide shelter on their own premises; persons in shops, restaurants, hotels and places of entertainment; persons in railway vehicles; persons excluded from public shelters on account of the shelters being full; and cripples and invalids not evacuated; and further, for what percentage of the population of any district is it his practice to arrange the supply of public shelter accommodation?
§ Sir J. AndersonIn general, the categories of persons described by the hon. and learned Member would properly be taken into account in the provision of public shelter by the local authorities except in so far as they might be catered for by special arrangements such as are made, for instance, in many shops and restaurants. The requirements of any particular area, or part of an area, must be a matter for assessment on the spot, and it would not be possible to give any precise figure as representing the general practice followed in this matter.
§ Mr. Gallacherasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that at the corner of Battersea Rise and Bolingbroke Grove, London, S.W., there is a notice displayed stating that an air-raid shelter is available at a distance of 580 yards; and why he considers that such a distance to be travelled through the streets is compatible with public safety in view of the statement contained in the report of the Lord Privy Seal's Conference on Air-Raid Shelters that a distance of 550 yards is too great to be consistent with safety?
§ Sir J. AndersonI am making inquiries into this matter and will communicate with the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Gallacherasked the Home Secretary (1) how many proposals for the construction of heavily-protected air-raid shelters have been received from local authorities; and how many of these proposals have been sanctioned by him;
(2) in what places it is considered that the heavily-protected shelters described in Handbook 5A should be provided; and on how many such shelters has work begun?
§ Sir J. AndersonLocal authorities have put forward a number of proposals for the construction of strongly protected 1285W shelters; but, in view of the Government's policy, I have not felt justified in approving such proposals unless they have been based on the utilisation of some readily available feature, natural or otherwise.