HC Deb 16 June 1942 vol 380 c1401W
Major Conant

asked the Minister of Health what steps have been taken to coordinate the activities of those arranging billets for the Services and for Government Departments in order to avoid continuous inspection being made of the same premises by the agents of different Departments?

Mr. E. Brown

Liaison arrangements are in operation centrally, regionally and locally in regard to billeting. I am arranging for the position to be reviewed in districts where special billeting problems exist or are anticipated, and I am suggesting the establishment by the local authorities of these districts of local advisory committees of representatives of the authorities and bodies mainly concerned, so that difficulties may be foreseen and prevented. I am suggesting to these local authorities, after consultation with the Women's Voluntary Services, that there would be an advantage in an arrangement by which visits to premises to ascertain their suitability for billeting should be undertaken by members of that organisation, a limited number of houses being allocated to each voluntary worker. I hope that such an arrangement will mitigate the inconvenience to householders to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers.