Mrs. Adamsonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the resentment caused to local authorities and the Civil Defence volunteers by the Home Security Circular No. 206/1941, re withdrawal of clothes rationing coupons from recipients of uniforms not only for future issues, but for those already supplied; and, seeing that up to the present, members of the Home Guard, the Armed Forces, British Red Cross and St. John Ambulance organisations have not been asked to surrender coupons on receipt of their uniforms, why this differentiation has been made between the Civil Defence, organisations and other national defence bodies?
§ Captain WaterhouseThe circular issued by the Ministry of Home Security is part of general arrangements which are being introduced under which all full-time wearers of uniform will surrender a certain number of coupons for their uniform. The circular in question stated that no surrender of coupons is yet required from part-time Civil Defence Volunteers. Any arrangements which may be made on this subject will apply equally to other organisations such as those referred to by the hon. Member.
§ Mr. Pearsonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists amongst unpaid air-raid wardens in connection with the requirement of forfeiture of clothing coupons for garments received from local authorities for wear in carrying out their Civil Defence duties; is the application of the order retrospective; and will he allow new recruits to the Civil Defence services one coupon-free outfit on enrolment?
§ Captain WaterhouseUnpaid Civil Defence workers are not yet required to surrender coupons for their uniforms. Any arrangement that may be made will be retrospective as from 1st September, 1941. The object of collecting coupons in such cases would be to take account of the saving in wear and tear of ordinary clothes effected by wearers of uniform as 1145W compared with fire-watchers and other non-uniformed workers who wear civilian clothes.
§ Lieut.-Commander Tufnellasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can make any statement regarding the replacement of lost clothing coupons?
§ Captain WaterhouseI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given on 7th October to the hon. Member for North Tottenham (Mr. R. C. Morrison).