§ Mr. Lipsonasked the Home Secretary how many tin helmets painted dark green and issued to air-raid precautions personnel, are by orders of his Department to be repainted black; and what justification there is for the expenditure of public money therein involved?
§ Sir J. AndersonIt was decided that the simplest and cheapest method of identification for the air-raid precautions services was by white lettering on a black helmet. Some 850,000 grey helmets were issued before this decision was taken, but the cost of repainting them was estimated to be considerably less than that of introducing an alternative method of identification. The work of repainting should already have been completed.
§ Mr. Tomlinsonasked the Home Secretary when he proposes to consult local authorities on the question of air-raid precautions expenditure; whether it is his intention to invite local education authorities, as such, to take part in such consultations; and will the question of air-raid 798W precautions grants for school purposes come under review at that time?
§ Sir J. AndersonI am still awaiting observations from local authorities on a memorandum which I sent to the representative associations in the autumn. That memorandum did not deal with the question of the rate of grant appropriate for shelter provision at schools, but it is open to local authorities to include this matter in any representations they may make on the general issues which are coming up for review.