82. Major Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction of many district councils in Scotland at his failure under the draft regulations of the Civil Defence Act, 1949, to place the responsibility for provision of rest centres, shelters, voluntary services, evacuation and billeting in the hands of the district councils; and if he will reconsider his decision on this matter.
§ Mr. WoodburnI have carefully considered the representations which have been made to me in this matter by the District Councils Association, but I am satisfied that the right course is to entrust Civil Defence functions to the authorities now responsible for running the same or analogous services. County councils will, however, be able under the draft regulations now before Parliament, to delegate 117W functions to district councils, and I shall encourage them to do so in appropriate cases.