HC Deb 08 May 1940 vol 360 cc1240-1W
Mr. Cassells

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that 50 per cent. of Scotland's population live in evacuation areas, 30 per cent. in reception areas, and 20 per cent. in neutral areas; that 10 per cent. of the accommodation in reception areas is unsuitable or impossible for billeting, and that private billeting alone will lead to chaos; and whether he is prepared to take steps for the immediate development of residential schools and educational camps, the reclassification of areas, and the vesting of the responsibility for evacuation arrangements with directors of education, education committees and teachers' unions?

Mr. Colville

The distribution of the population in Scotland is 37 per cent. in sending areas, 37 per cent. in receiving areas and 26 per cent. in neutral areas. According to the survey made in 1939, there was accommodation in the receiving areas for more than three times the number of children for which the new plans provide, including the children who are now evacuated. The accommodation available in private houses is being supplemented by the use of camps and hostels, and the classification of areas is kept under constant review. At every stage of the preparation and execution of the evacuation plans there has been close consultation with education authorities, directors of education and representatives of teachers.

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