Miss Rathboneasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that many alien refugees are anxious to take full part in Civil Defence, including air-raid precautions, fire-watching and other defence services, but are impeded by their own ignorance and that of the British public as to which services are open to aliens and 1130W on what conditions and by the local variations which exist as to the extent to which the services of aliens are actually accepted by those concerned in the administration; and will he issue a statement dealing fully with this matter and give it wide publicity?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI am aware that there is a large number of aliens who wish to be allowed to avail themselves of these opportunities of rendering war service and I am anxious that, subject to the proper requirements of national security and with due regard to local circumstances, full advantage should be taken of their services. I have recently issued instructions as to the conditions on which aliens may be accepted as volunteers on fire prevention duties and I have in preparation a circular to local authorities as to their employment on other Civil Defence work.