Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Government Departments. – in the House of Commons at on 17 March 1942.
Instructions were issued to all Departments at the Prime Minister's direction in July, 1940, ordering further steps to be taken, including extended devolution of responsibility and authority, to avoid administrative delays, to accelerate decisions and to expedite executive action. Considerable steps to this end have been taken. Plans have been ready for some time for the independent exercise of Government functions by Regions if rendered necessary by invasion of this country. I do not think that any further general exhortation would be appropriate.