asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans were originally made for accommodation for the directing staff at the Civil Defence Staff College at Sunninghill; and whether these plans have now been implemented;

(2) whether it has now been possible to provide the housing accommodation required for the directing staff at the Civil Defence Staff College at Sunninghill;

(3) whether he is satisfied that the accommodation at present occupied by the members of the directing staff of the Civil Defence Staff College at Sunninghill is suitable; and if he will make a statement.

Last July the instructors affected at the Civil Defence Staff College were offered alternative accommodation on a site which was acceptable to them. This accommodation they have not accepted, and the further representations they have recently made about the standard of accommodation are now under consideration.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the matter has been under consideration for far too long? This plan was made a long time ago, and there has never been any doubt about the implementing of the original agreements with the instructing staff. Will he see that this matter is given priority? Unless instructors have the proper accommodation they will not remain instructors.

I do not know whether my hon. Friend is aware that only two members of the directing staff are actually in occupation of the houses to which I think my hon. Friend refers in these Questions. They are, in fact, new council houses. Representations have been made by the Commandant on behalf of the occupants within the last few weeks, and those representations are now under consideration.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether, generally speaking, the requirements of the Civil Defence organisation are receiving as much consideration as those of the military? Are they not just as important as the military in the possible circumstances of the future?

I cannot answer for the military, but I certainly agree with the right hon. Gentleman in regarding the importance of the Civil Defence organisation as very high.

Yes; but if the hon. Gentleman agrees with me, can he say whether the Government propose to do anything about it?

That goes quite outside the limits of these Questions.