§ Sir J. Lucasasked the Home Secretary whether, since men are to be conscripted for the air-raid precautions services as well as for the Fighting Services, he will now be able to arrange that air-raid precautions workers injured in action or on duty will be treated on the same basis as soldiers, sailors or airmen and paid so long as there is any chance of their becoming fit for service again, instead of being paid as now for 13 weeks only before discharge?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI must point out that there are fundamental differences in 1179W the conditions of service of the Armed Forces of the Crown and persons who may hereafter be called up for service in Civil Defence instead of to the Armed Forces. One of these is that men in the former class may have to serve abroad and thus be unable to avail themselves of the National Health Insurance benefits or other social insurance provisions when sick. I am, however, examining whether any changes will be called for in the existing sick pay arrangements for volunteers as a result of the introduction of a new class of compulsorily enrolled Civil Defence worker.