§ Mr. Sorensenasked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that many fire-watchers have expressed their resentment at being required to patrol their areas when there is no alert; and whether, in view of past satisfactory arrangements for fire-watching without this stipulation, he will make it clear that, provided fire-watchers are at hand and ready to patrol if necessary during an alert, patrol at other times is not imperative?
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§ Miss WilkinsonMy right hon. Friend fully agrees that unnecessary patrolling by fire guards is to be deprecated. Local authorities have already been informed that except when the alert has been sounded it is, in general, sufficient during the black-out period if the fire guards, whose turn it is to be on watch, are awake, dressed, and ready to take up their duties.