§ Captain Pluggeasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that a foreman demolition worker, who has been sentenced to four years' penal servitude for looting, had 11 convictions in the past; and whether any steps are taken to insist upon some reliability in the case of those who have to salve the effects of people who are bombed out of their homes?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI am unable to identify the particular case in question, and it is possible that the foreman did not belong to one of the Civil Defence organisations. As regards members of the rescue party services who may at times be engaged in demolishing damaged buildings, it has never been the policy that applicants should be subjected to anything in the nature of a character test. Authorities have, however, had impressed upon them their responsibility for satisfying themselves as to the general reliability of individual members of all Civil Defence services, and I have no reason to suppose that they hesitate to make any necessary inquiries which in their judgment may be necessary in a particular case.