§ Sir E. Sheppersonasked the Home Secretary what is the total expenditure on air-raid precautions in the county of Bedford from its inception to the present date; what is the annual expenditure on paid personnel in the same area; what is the annual expenditure on hire of premises and telephones; and what is the cost to the county of special constables, excluding those who have been called for police war reserves?
§ Sir J. Anderson:As regards air-raid precautions expenditure, complete figures are available only for the period up to the 31st March, 1939. Up to that date the total grant-earning expenditure on this service in the county of Bedford was £24,325, of which £ 527 represented expenditure in 1938– 39 on hire of premises, and £ 67 on telephones. The annual cost of staff in that year was £2,130. Expenditure on the Special Constabulary in 1938–39 amounted to £ 21, and in the first half of the present financial year to £ 170.