HC Deb 17 July 1939 vol 350 cc46-7W
Sir W. Edge

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is aware that experience in Leicestershire has shown that smaller horse-power motor cars, and more especially those of eight horse-power, are not sufficiently large to carry 'first-aid parties; and whether, since in many villages the motor cars are all small, he will consider evolving some system of horse-power rebate acceptable to the Treasury to induce at least one motor car owner per village to keep a higher powered motor car so as to ensure the transport to central hospitals of victims of enemy air attack?

Sir J. Anderson

I have not previously received any representations from Leicestershire on this matter. In the air-raid precautions schemes for rural areas it is not considered necessary to provide every village with its own first-aid party and ambulance: the normal arrangement is that the depots of the parties and of the ambulances are located at populous and convenient centres, usually country towns, from which they can proceed to the villages in the neighbouring district when the need arises. For arrangements of this kind it is not essential to find large vehicles in villages.