asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied that adequate arrangements have been made to protect our stocks of food from fire; and whether he has taken steps to provide suitable living accommodation, if necessary by requisitioning premises, for those engaged in fire-protection duties?

Where the Business Premises Order has been applied, responsibility for settling the fire prevention arrangements to be made by the occupier, including the provision of sleeping accommodation, rests with the appropriate authority; and it is the duty of the occupier to give effect to those arrangements. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

Mr. Curverwell:

Is the son. Lady aware that two and a half months ago a firm storing 8,000 tons of food on behalf of the Ministry of Food approached me to seek powers to requisition premises for the housing of the fire-protection staff? This firm have, incidentally, spent large sums of money on fire arrangements. I wrote to the Ministry to take action, and nothing has been done for two and a half months.

It is hardly right to say that nothing has been done. There has been a considerable amount of inquiry into the matter and consultation with the Ministry of Food, which is not the proper authority. The local authority is the proper authority. The question arises as to whether these premises are necessary for these fire-prevention arrangements.

Is the hon. Lady aware that inquiry will not save premises from fire?

That is true, but the point is whether the requisitioning of these particular premises is really necessary.

When there is no authority on the spot to give the right of salvage when shops are burning, will the hon. Lady take steps to see that the A.R.P. shall have authority, if the police are not present, to protect the building?

That is another question.

I am asking the hon. Lady —and this is dealing with steps to safeguard stocks of food—whether she will take steps to see that if the right authority is not present to salvage stock, she will give authority to other services that are present?

The whole question of salvage is very much under our consideration, and a great deal has been done to sec that the very thing the hon. Member asks for is carried out.

I am asking the hon. Lady if she will take steps to see that authority is given to enable salvage to be undertaken.