asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the recent announcement of the incorporation of the Territorial Army into the Regular Forces, officers and other ranks of the former Territorial Army will now cease to wear the letter "T" on their shoulder straps?

Although conditions of service in the Territorial Army, while it is embodied, are assimilated to those in the Regular Army, the Territorial Army has not ceased to exist, but it is not intended to continue the wearing of the letter "T" on their uniform during the war.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered further the many anomalies in the rules for free issue of Anderson shelters; and whether he will extend such issue in vulnerable areas as supplies become available?

The basis on which the free distribution of these shelters is being made may give rise to anomalies in border-line cases, but it is designed to give a generous interpretation of the expressed policy of the Government, to provide shelter free of cost for persons who cannot reasonably be expected to provide it for themselves. I could not undertake to enlarge the scope of the present scheme of free distribution.

Has the right hon. Gentleman had his attention called to this fact, that one person in a household in receipt of over £250 per annum cannot get a shelter for nothing, whereas with an income to the same house of over 800, provided that the householder's income is less than £250, they have not got to pay for a shelter?

I know there are anomalies, and I do not see how they can possibly be avoided.

Could my right hon. Friend not consider the suggestion in my Question, that when supplies are available free issues should be made to everybody in the vulnerable areas?

That will not arise for some time yet.

asked the Home Secretary whether instructions have been given to those responsible for the provision of air-raid shelters to include in the equipment of these shelters, especially those having only one exit, several pickaxes, in case the exit is blocked by fallen masonry?

It is a well established rule that an air-raid shelter should include some emergency means of exit, but local authorities are being encouraged as an additional precaution to provide equipment of the kind suggested, at any rate in the larger shelters.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this point has been very much stressed by persons of long experience in air-raid provision in Spain, who think that without some means of forcing an exit shelters with only one exit may easily become very dangerous traps?

I think the hon. Lady will have gathered from my reply that that is fully recognised.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is quite a number of shelters in London with only one entrance and no other entrance or exit?

No, I am not aware of that.

I will call the right hon. Gentleman's attention to some cases.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that officers of the Auxiliary Fire Service in London are experiencing considerable difficulty through the resignation of men who are compelled, under threat of loss of their employment, to resign from the service; and whether any steps can be taken to maintain the efficiency of the service and to protect the men who have offered and are still willing to serve.

Representations to this effect have been received, and I understand that there have been some resignations, as was only to be expected, having regard to the circumstances in which the Auxiliary Fire Service personnel were enrolled and mobilised. But on the whole the response has been excellent, and resignations are relatively few. I am also glad to be able to say that since the crisis numerous applications to join the Auxiliary Fire Service have been received. The question of further safeguarding the position of men who have volunteered to serve in the Auxiliary Fire Service is receiving consideration.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some firms are taking this action so as to obtain for the protection of their own private property the services of men who have been trained at the public expense and in their own time?

If the hon. Member will give me specific cases, I shall be very glad to look into them.

asked the Home Secretary whether the activities of the Anglo- German Kameradschaft, the Anglo- German Circle, and the Anglo-German Academic Bureau, have now closed down; and whether the Anglo-German Review has ceased publication.

I am informed that the Anglo-German Kameradschaft and Anglo-German Circle have been disbanded, that the Anglo-German Academic Bureau is in process of being wound-up, and that the publication of the Anglo-German Review has been discontinued.

Are the British Fascists in Smith Square also being liquidated?

That is another question, which my hon. and gallant Friend had better put on the Paper

asked the Home Secretary whether he has yet received from the Commissioner of Police a report concerning drunkenness in the darkened streets following on the closing of all places of amusement except the public-houses; and whether, as increased drunkenness in Glasgow is the cause of the closing of public-houses in that city at eight o'clock, he is contemplating any similar step for London.

It has not yet been practicable for the Commissioner to collect statistical information about drunkenness in London during the last ten days, but I am having a careful watch kept on the situation, not only in London but elsewhere. I fully recognise the importance of the point raised by the hon. Member, but such information as I have suggests that it would at present be premature to attempt to form an opinion on the question whether any further restrictions on the hours of licensed premises may be necessary.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in some parts of South London citizens have formed themselves into bands to protect shopkeepers against gangs who have smashed up milk and snack bars and other shops?

I have spoken personally with the Commissioner of Police on the whole question of public order in London, and the impression that he has formed as a result of telephone communication with the various divisions is that there is no evidence of any substantial increase of drunkenness. On the other hand, cases of theft, house-breaking, and so on have shown actually a decrease, which is very satisfactory.

Will the right hon. Gentleman read the "South London Press," and he will see cases such as I have described reported there again and again?

I will ask the Commissioner of Police to make a special inquiry and to give me the result as soon as possible.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not recognise that the fact of so many special police being about is the reason why there are fewer burglaries?

Is not the best way to keep people sober to give them reasonable facilities for entertainment?

That has been done, as I think the hon. Baronet knows.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the position regarding the opening and closing of public fair-grounds at the present time.

Fairs are not prohibited by any order under the Defence Regulations. They are subject to the Lighting Order, and any exhibition or entertainment in connection with a fair to which the public are admitted on payment is subject to the restrictions contained in the Public Entertainments Order. I have been anxious not to impose any further restrictions on fairs, but when a fair ground includes a portion of a main highway it may prove desirable—owing to war time traffic conditions—for the fair to be abandoned or transferred to some other site. If this can be done by arrangement between the police and the showmen, I hope that the use of further compulsory powers under the Defence Regulations may be avoided.

May we take it that, so far as shows and circuses are concerned, they are subject to the same rules as cinemas and may be open till 10 p.m.?

That is so, subject to the lighting regulations.

May we take it that the right hon. Gentleman has so far made no order at all regarding these fairs?

That is the case.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make it clear that he has no intention to interfere with old established street markets and that they may be allowed to carry on as usual?

I do not know what the developing situation may require, but there is certainly every desire to avoid interference with fairs, street markets, and established institutions of all kinds.

Will my right hon. Friend not endeavour to grant some facilities to football clubs?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the advisability of introducing legislation to provide for an investigation being made into alleged cases of profiteering?

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many specific allegations of profiteering have yet been brought to his notice; whether he will state their nature; and what action has been taken in each case?

I am not certain what my hon. and gallant Friend means by specific allegations. The Board of Trade are aware of a number of present or prospective increases of manufacturers' prices in the staple trades, and inquiry is being made into these. The Board have expressed the general view that increases of price are only justified at the present juncture where they are directly related to increases of cost. There have also been various suggestions of profiteering by individual retailers. Where these appear to be substantial, inquiries are being made. In the light of these inquiries, my right hon. Friend will consider whether legislation is necessary.

Can the hon. and gallant Gentleman say how many complaints have been received up to date?

A few complaints have been received, and inquiry is being made into these at the present moment.

When the hon. and gallant Gentleman speaks of "a few," can he give any indication of the number?

It depends upon what you mean by "a few." May I say "not many"?

Has the hon. and gallant Gentleman's attention been called to the practice which is being followed by some firms of putting some articles on a kind of list and indicating that customers will only be able to get supplies of them if they buy 5s. or 10s. worth of other goods, and is he satisfied that the Department have power to stop that pernicious practice?

That is outside my Department. I have only seen it in the Press generally, but it has not been brought to my notice. I would observe that questions have been put to me about profiteering and that they are being inquired into.

Among the complaints which the hon. and gallant Gentleman's Department has received, have there been any complaints about the excessive price of sandbags and torches?

Not officially, but privately. I think sandbags have been mentioned, but I am not sure about torches. Bicycles also have been mentioned, and inquiries are being made into the matter at this moment.

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman take an early opportunity of consulting the Department concerned and issue a statement that they regard the practice to which I have referred as being pernicious and one that ought to be stopped?

I will certainly bring it to the attention of the Department, but this is the first time it has been brought to my attention.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that recently a number of unemployed men of various trades, mostly building, were called to the Ramsgate employment exchange and asked there and then to sign an undertaking that in the event of any damage from enemy action in the East Kent area they would, on receipt of short notice, and whether or not they were in other employment, proceed to the area and make good the damage; whether this action by the exchange officials was authorised; and whether he will explain fully the nature of the scheme in question?

I am making inquiries and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps should be taken by persons who wish to offer their services upon work of national importance whether whether paid or unpaid?

As the reply is somewhat long, I will circulate it, if I may, in the Official Report. It contains, however, important guidance to those who wish to offer their services. I take this opportunity of urging all concerned to do so in the way indicated in the reply and to refrain from writing to or calling at the Ministry of Labour and National Service or some other Government Department. Such letters or calls impose a useless and wasteful strain on hard-pressed staffs.

Are Members of Parliament excluded from an opportunity of employment?

I cannot give a general answer to that. I should want to know whether the employment was paid or otherwise. Perhaps the hon. Member will put his question on the Order Paper and I will give a considered reply. With regard to the general reply, it is somewhat long, and perhaps hon. Members will read it and put any further questions they wish to ask on the Order Paper next week.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, as representing the Minister of Information, whether the Ministry of Information accept responsibility for the security censorship to be now exercised by the British Board of Film Censors; what are the financial and administrative arrangements as between the Ministry and the Board; and whether news-reels, sub- standard films, films for export, and all other types are included.

I have been asked to reply. The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. The Board acts under the instructions of the Ministry in this matter, and its staff is being reinforced by the Ministry. The Board charges the producers the usual fees for the censorship of films for this country; in the case of films for export, where each individual copy has to be examined, a fee is charged for each reel censored. Drawback is allowed where imported films are censored before re-export. The censorship of films for showing in this country is voluntary, but no films may be exported without being censored. It is consequently in the interests of all film producers, including producers of news reels, sub-standard and all other types, to submit their films for security censorship.

I understand from that answer that the Lord Privy Seal will reply to Questions on the subject of films in this House?

Yes, Sir, I am only answering for the Lord Privy Seal, because he is unable to be present. The Minister of Information is responsible and the Lord Privy Seal will answer for him in this House.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, as representing the Minister of Information, whether he will request the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast musical recordings on their usual wave-lengths throughout the night for the benefit of Civil Defence workers who are waiting at their posts.

This matter is being kept under review by the British Broadcasting Corporation in consultation with my noble Friend the Minister of Information but they do not feel that it has so far been established that the extension of hours which my hon. Friend suggests would, on the balance of considerations involved, be in the public interest.

Is my noble Friend aware of the real danger of boredom which arises in the case of people who have to keep awake all night in case of an emergency?

Yes, Sir, but I am afraid there would be a real danger of interfering with the sleep of the general population if music were played by loud speakers throughout the night.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he can now make any statement as to the re-organisation of the arrangements for control of the distribution of supplies of fish through the Manchester fish market?

The scheme of control of fish is at present under review, and I am not in a position at present to add to the statement which I made during the course of the Debate on 13th September.

Has the right hon. Gentleman had representations from the industrial valleys of South Wales, where there has been a serious shortage of fish for some time, and, having regard to their inaccessibility, will he make special arrangements to see that fish is sent to them?

Yes, Sir, the conditions in that district were brought to my notice, and I am dealing with the matter as one of urgency.

:Is my right hon. Friend aware that since the fish trade in Hull was reorganised under the authority of his Department the conditions there are just chaotic?

I am aware that there have been complaints with regard to Hull in particular. The matter has been aggravated there by the requisitioning of a very large number of trawlers.

Was not the chaotic state of affairs clearly indicated in the Debate the other day and no steps have so far been taken to mitigate them? We are now entering upon another week of chaos while the Minister goes on considering it. Can he not suspend the scheme in the meantime?

No, Sir, I cannot agree that no improvement has taken place in the position. A great deal of improvement has taken place, and I am very anxious to put a proper scheme into operation as soon as possible. The course which the hon. Member recommends would not be in the public interest at the present time.

Can the Minister say when he will be able to make the position definite?

I do not wish to pin myself down to a date, but it will be as early as possible.

Has the Minister any power to regulate supplies because he will be aware that many thousands of people have fish and potatoes for lunch and supper, and if he will see that the fish fryers get their share we shall be much obliged?

I am aware of the importance of fried fish to large sections of the people, and that part of the scheme is being specially reviewed.

I beg to move, in page 1, after "Labour," to insert "and National Service."

Although it does not relate directly to this Bill, I hope that in the special circumstances I shall be allowed to raise a point arising out of a remark made by the hon. Member for East Woolwich (Mr. Hicks) yesterday, with which I am in complete agreement. I refer to the tendency at the present time among the new group of officials to be bureaucratic, standoffish and almost unapproachable. I, like almost every Member of this House, have had contact with employment exchanges, and I have found the officials sympathetic and easily accessible, but I am sorry to say that I am not finding anything like that now, but rather a tendency to be met by a refusal at the hands of people who really have no right to adopt such an attitude. I am not making any general charge, but 1 would like the Minister to do what the Postmaster-General does, namely, to ask his officials to be less officious. I know that many of them are overworked and under a great strain, and I am prepared to make allowances for that, but the Minister should see to it that, in their new-found posts, officials should not regard themselves as little fellows "drest in a little brief authority" and refuse access.

I support what the hon. Member for Gorbals (Mr. Buchanan) has said. Our lives are now becoming controlled and regulated to a degree of which we had not previously dreamed. This Bill involves an enormous amount of control of the lives of our people, and I press upon the Minister that very great care should be taken and exercised in the choice of officials. I know that they have a lot of work to do, and that a good deal of it will be new work. There will be misfits and mistakes and a great deal of interference. Workmen resent outsiders coming in and trying to put them in their place. A great deal of this control is very necessary, but I hope the Minister will bear in mind that, when new officials are appointed under a scheme of this kind, they shall be men who are experienced as far as possible in the kind of work they will have to do. I hope that he will pay some attention to their personal nature and to the methods of approach in the appointment of inspectors and all the rest of these bureaucrats.

State Socialism.

We cannot leave the people in the hands of those who own the wealth. We must come inside and help to control it. If that is necessary in crisis time, it cannot be very bad in normal times. I hope that the Minister will exercise his influence and take full note of the fact. This is a very difficult matter and will interfere with our people in many vital ways. I trust that the Minister will—in fact, I am sure he will—pay attention to the words that have been uttered by hon. Members on this side of the House, that if this thing is to be a success he must obtain the good will of the workers of this country. I hope that he will impress that fact upon all his officials.

I readily respond, and I am sorry that the hon. Member for Gorbals (Mr. Buchanan) has noted any change. I shall do all in my power, and I am sure that the headquarter's staff of the Ministry of Labour will do all in their power, to see this sort of thing does not occur. I will look at it myself and try and make it very clear that there ought not to be any change in attitude. Hon. Members were very good to say that officials were working under extraordinary stress. They have had during the last year two additional pieces of work placed upon their shoulders, and I think the House will admit that they have done the work with great devotion and skill. Members of Parliament sometimes get irritable.

Not without cause.

Sometimes it is without cause and sometimes without sufficient cause, which is not quite the same thing. I can assure hon. Members that it will be my endeavour to see that this work is administered in such a way that those who have to carry out this difficult job will not act as men "drest in a little brief authority," but, as they have always done, as officials who regard themselves as servants of the public and, more than that, as friends and public advisers of those who come within the ambit of their work.

The right hon. Gentleman will appreciate that what we are attempting to do to-day is to raise a general rather than an individual complaint. While we have addressed our remarks to the Minister of Labour, they are intended to cover a somewhat wider field. There has grown up in the last few weeks a very great deal of irritability at what is happening, and it is causing the inevitable reaction. I hope, therefore, that what has been said by my hon. Friends will be very carefully noted not only by the Ministry of Labour but by other Government Departments. We know in this House how Ministers in the last fortnight have had a particularly easy time in one respect. All that they have had to do has been to stand at the Box and mumble: "abacadabra, we are in a state of war, and this must be done." Then all tongues are silent. I am not saying that there is a tendency on the part of Ministers to abuse the position, but I am afraid it is true of officials outside that they expect private citizens to bear burdens which are sometimes quite unreasonable, and to answer criticisms merely by appealing to the national emergency. That can easily be abused. Therefore, I hope that we shall not have a lot of petty irritations created which may give rise to serious trouble.