HC Deb 02 May 1940 vol 360 c927W
Mr. Joel

asked the Home Secretary whether, seeing that the moment has come to place the need for unpaid volunteers for air-raid precautions squarely before the public, he will simultaneously call upon local authorities to evolve some system of relay service under which these workers will be required to devote only a certain number of days each week to the performance of the duties in question; and whether he is aware that, unless some system of the kind is introduced, voluntary workers will not come forward in adequate numbers?

Sir J. Anderson

I have already drawn the attention of local authorities to the need for organising their duty shifts so as to avoid making excessive calls upon part-time unpaid volunteeers, and I think that local authorities generally already recognise that failure to establish a proper rota system would adversely affect recruiting. I shall, however, keep the position under review.