§ Major Owenasked the Minister of Health whether masters' wives engaged in London on the departure of an evacuated party, and in receipt of a billeting allowance, can be dismissed by a local authority on the ground that there are enough local voluntary workers to do the necessary work?
§ Mr. ElliotTeachers' wives in respect of whom billeting allowances are payable are billeted in the receiving areas in the capacity of full-time helpers. I have instructed the local authorities in those areas that the helpers should be regarded as under their direction, and that arrangements should be made to allocate and co-ordinate their services in order that they may be as usefully employed as possible. I should hope, in view of the very numerous activities which local authorities are being asked to undertake, that it would be possible to employ all available helpers usefully, but if a local authority is satisfied that there are some who should be dispensed with, it is open to them to notify the evacuating authority that these helpers are no longer required and that they propose to discontinue the billeting allowances.
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§ Major Owenasked the Minister of Health whether a master who takes a house or flat instead of remaining in billets will be treated as forfeiting his own billeting allowance and that of his wife, if she is an accredited helper, and those of his children?
§ Mr. ElliotThe billeting allowances are payable to occupiers who have provided accommodation in accordance with a billeting notice and could not, therefore, be issued in the circumstances mentioned by the hon. and gallant Member.