§ Sir E. Graham-Littleasked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that considerable difficulty is being experienced in one vulnerable East Coast town in connection with the obtaining of essential timber supplies required for the construction of the entrances to air-raid precautions public shelters, thus depriving a large percentage of the population of adequate protection; that application for the necessary timber licence made recently to the permit officer of the London and Home Counties Timber Control has been without result, in spite of strong representations made in respect of the urgency of the work which has been temporarily suspended; and if he will give an assurance that as regards the issue of timber licences, priority claims in vulnerable areas will be given every consideration?
§ Mr. BurginI regret that I have not been able to identify, from the information given, the case to which the hon. Member refers. Timber for A.R.P. purposes is released by Timber Control Officers if the application has the approval of the Home Security Department, and I understand that in the consideration of such cases the claims of vulnerable areas are given priority.