asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, and to what extent, Civil Defence personnel are being used in useful work of national importance, when their services can be spared from their ordinary Civil Defence work?

The policy to be followed in the matter was set out in a circular issued to local authorities on 14th April. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of this circular. Transfers from the Civil Defence services to industry are being made in increasing numbers by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service. Further, other Civil Defence personnel are being employed without change of status on work of national importance not hitherto regarded as Civil Defence duties, but my right hon. Friend has not, as yet, asked the authorities to inform him of the arrangements made or the numbers involved.

While I thank my hon. Friend for his reply, and for what has been done, will he realise that there is still an enormous amount of labour being lost, and will he take every step he can to see that it is utilised and not wasted?

Certainly, Sir.

Will the hon. Member realise that the circular talks about snow and coal, of which there is not much about? Will he suggest some other work of local importance?

It does not talk about snow and coal as providing the only possible employment for Civil Defence personnel.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the great difficulty of preventing looting during and immediately after air raids and of the reluctance of the judiciary to utilise the death penalty for the offence, he will, to protect the public, now authorise such offenders being dealt with by military courts with plenary powers?

From time to time representations have been made to my right hon. Friend both that particular sentences are too heavy and that sentences in general are too light, but the information available as to the penalties imposed by the courts up and down the country does not support the suggestion that there has been any general reluctance to pass adequate sentences. The suggestion that the time and attention of military officers should be diverted to the business of trying civilian offenders would, I am sure, be unwelcome both to the military authorities and to Parliament.

Is my hon. Friend aware of the great satisfaction which was felt in a town recently bombed when it was rumoured that the military had been given orders to shoot first and to inquire afterwards?

I am not aware of those circumstances, but my hon. and gallant Friend may be pleased to hear that 60 sentences of penal servitude have been imposed for looting.

Would the hon. Member make it quite clear that it is not the intention of the Government to establish military courts with plenary powers to deal with special offences, apart from any local circumstances which might make that course necessary?

Yes, Sir; that is quite so.

Are the Government prepared to establish the death penalty for commercial and economic looting, which, quite apart from the offences which have been referred to, takes place in normal times?