asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the assistant-adjutant of a Territorial unit, the Queen's Westminsters, is a prominent member of the British Union of Fascists and participates in public demonstrations of that body; and whether he proposes to relieve this officer of his commission?

I am informed that this officer is not a member of the British Union of Fascists, but that he attended a meeting in which he took no active part.

Is it not notorious that he did and does take an active part, and is it desirable that members of Hitler's fifth column should hold commissions in the Army?

I have answered the question in accordance with the particulars supplied to me by the commanding officer.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make an effort to get better information, because the information he has is somewhat similar to that given to the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any men of the Regular Army have been moved out of their barracks and put under canvas in order that the barracks may be occupied by members of the Militia, and whether instructions have been given that militiamen are not to carry out the ordinary fatigues usually performed by private soldiers of the Regular Army?

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes, Sir." As regards the second part, the instruction is that the employment of militiamen on fatigues will be restricted as far as possible, and the object is to enable the maximum amount of time to be devoted to training. Militiamen will, however, be trained in administrative and sanitary duties in the field, which are part of the education of every soldier.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the militiamen are only too anxious to share all the phases of Army life as well as those of the Regular Army?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that the Fourth Green Howards, during the period of their summer camp at Halton, were fed on eggs produced in the United Kingdom, and that during the week ending 23rd July, the eggs they consumed were produced in Lancashire and Yorkshire; and whether he will direct the attention of messing officers to the fact that the cash messing allowances are sufficient to provide the troops with home-produced eggs for their breakfast;

(2) whether any Territorial or Militia camp is supplied with home-produced meat; and whether any of the units in these camps are permitted to commute their meat allowance into a cash allowance wherewith to purchase home-produced meat?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has considered a communication from the Glamorgan Branch of the National Farmers' Union making a request that the forces should be fed on home-produced meat; and what steps he proposes to implement this request?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give an assurance that the new Militia shall be fed on home-grown beef, so that their period of compulsory service will not be putting into the pockets of Argentine beef- producers money which might otherwise be going into the pockets of United Kingdom farmers?

asked the Secretary of State for War the weight and value of home-produced meat supplied to the Militia during the period of training; and the quantity and value of fresh milk supplied by the Government to the Militia in the same period?

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what would be the additional expense, if any, if the Army serving at home was supplied, wherever possible, with home-produced food;

(2)whether it is the policy of the War Department to provide the forces serving at home with home-produced eggs, and what is the proportion of home-produced eggs at present being supplied;

(3)what is the proportion of home-produced beef supplied to the Army serving in the United Kingdom; and whether it is the policy of the War Department to provide home-produced beef wherever possible?

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what arrangements have been made to provide the services with beef and mutton from British-produced cattle and sheep;

(2) whether he will take steps to prevent the danger that, if the men now called up for service are fed on imported beef and mutton it will diminish the call on home-grown supplies, as in civil life many of these men were supplied from home-grown sources?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will ensure that the largest possible proportion of food supplied to the military forces in the United Kingdom is home-produced; and that definite instructions are issued to units to that effect?

All these questions relate to the purchase of home-produced in preference to imported supplies of food, and I hope it will be for the convenience of hon. Members if I make a comprehensive reply.

As has been stated on previous occasions, financial and administrative considerations make it impossible to depart from the present policy of relying mainly on Dominion supplies of meat, and it is not practicable to make a new departure in the case of the Militia. The extra cost involved in supplying home-produced meat to the Army and the Royal Air Force would probably rise to approximately £1,000,000 a year. There was a recent trial of Argentine frozen meat in the Aldershot Command at Tidworth for one week only. Otherwise, supply of meat from South America is at present limited to preserved meat, and this is the only source from which it can be obtained with satisfaction as to quality, quantity and price.

The proportion of fresh to frozen beef supplied to the Army in the United Kingdom is about 1 to 1,000. Apart from small local purchases, notably for hospitals, the only home station at which fresh meat is supplied is Aberdeen. There are about 150 militiamen at this depot, and the amount of meat involved to date is some 2,000 lbs. It would be contrary to practice to disclose the price. The suggestion that units might be permitted to use the cash value of the meat in the ration scale for the purpose of buying home-produced meat is impracticable owing to the difference in cost.

In the case of the other items in the ration scale, preference is given to home-produced supplies, so far as this can reasonably be done. As regards eggs and milk, it has previously been explained that these are purchased by units from a cash allowance. Information as to the prices of the various commodities is available at the messing stores in all barrack and camp institutes, and it is not proposed to interfere with the discretion of units. I have no information as to purchases of milk, but the proportion of home-produced to imported eggs used for all purposes is about 1 to 2.

On a point of Order. A number of questions have been put down dealing with different branches of food supplies, and the right hon. Gentleman has taken the unusual course of answering all of them, or attempting to answer them, in one answer. Is that in accordance with the ordinary procedure of the House? Is it not rather awkward to put a question about Estonian eggs and for the right hon. Gentleman to give an answer on an entirely different subject of meat?

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that he has answered question No. 38?

On a point of Order. As so many ex-soldiers have started poultry farming ought not the right hon. Gentleman to deal with eggs as a separate question?

The right hon. Gentleman has dealt with the question of home-produced food.

Arising out of the reply, may I ask in regard to Question 33 and the position of eggs, whether the Secretary of State thinks it fair that some units should be fed on stale Estonian eggs while others are receiving fresh newly-laid eggs from this country?

I have already disposed of that suggestion on a previous occasion. The statement is most unfair to Estonia and to the unit concerned. The eggs were not stale and I informed the hon. Member that a number of officers and men cat the eggs with very good results.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that eggs from Estonia must be stale compared with newly-laid eggs from this country? Is he also aware that since he gave me his last reply I have had a large number of letters from those in camp complaining about these eggs?

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman to deal with Question 38?

The hon. and gallant Member will recollect that I gave the figure, that the cost would be £1,000,000 or more. I could not give the cost of each commodity—they vary from week to week—but I gave it for meat because it was an available figure.

As the Government are subsidising British beef to the extent of £5,000,000 does not the right hon. Gentleman think that militiamen and Regular soldiers ought to be able to get some of this commodity? Is he aware that the sale of beef during this year, and for some years previously, shows a continuous decline?

I have already said that there are certain administrative difficulties. It is desirable that there should be uniformity.

On a point of Order. Does not a new point arise regarding these militiamen? Questions have been asked with regard to the Regular Forces, but is it the same thing when you are compelling militiamen to serve their country that they should have to eat somebody else's beef?

May I ask a supplementary questions—

There must be a limit to supplementary questions.

On a point of Order. There are 10 Questions down, and if an hon. Member objects to this procedure surely the right hon. Gentleman is not in a position to deal with all these questions at once?

If there are 10 questions on the same subject it is permissible for the Minister to answer them together.

That was not quite my point of Order. If an hon. Member objects surely the right hon. Gentleman is not in a position to answer all the questions en bloc? They deal with different aspects of the same problem.

That does not seem to be a point of Order.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many of these militiamen have fed, reared and looked after beasts all their lives and now are not to have the pleasure of eating them?

asked the Secretary of State for War in how many Territorial camps this year the canteens are being or have been run by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes; how many units run their own canteens and how many units let the running of their canteens to contractors?

I regret that the information asked for is not readily available, and could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour.

Is it not very important that this fact should be known so that we could feed the troops as cheaply and as well as possible?

In view of the great labour involved in obtaining this information I hope the hon. Member will not press me to get it as a great deal of labour is now cast upon the authorities, and I have not the information readily available.

In view of the fact that we are having many complaints of a general shortage of food in certain Territorial camps, particularly in the East Riding, will the right hon. Gentleman consider sending a representative of the Army Catering Advisory Department to look into this matter during the current period of training?

Yes, Sir, with a great deal of pleasure. If the hon. Member will specify the units he has in mind I will see that an inspector goes at once. That practice has invariably been followed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that widows, whose sons who were their only support and are now receiving training under the Military Training Act, are being subject to the means test in respect of dependant allowances, so that in order to live widows possessing small savings are being compelled to draw upon these small amounts and, in addition to the loss of the son and his earnings for six months, are being called upon to make the additional sacrifice of having to pay for it; and whether he will give the undertaking that in cases where children are the sole support of either or both parents the full dependants allowances will be granted irrespective of any small savings the parents may possess?

The extent to which other means of a dependant are taken into consideration in determining the rate of allowance issuable is shown in the White Paper (Cmd. 6043). It will be seen that only income, and not capital, enters into the calculation.

Will the right hon. Gentleman kindly inquire into this matter, because I have a case in my own constituency where the capital has been taken into account and has been assessed, that is, capital invested in the Post Office Savings Bank?

If the capital has been wrongly taken into account and the hon. Member will be good enough to furnish me with the particulars, I will make immediate inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of applications received for dependant allowances under the Military Training Act, 1939; the numbers of the respective rates that have been granted; and how many of such applications have been refused?

The latest returns received indicate that approximately 14,000 militiamen have applied for grants of dependants allowance. Of these, some 5,300 have received awards at the rates of 7s., 12s., 17s., or 20s. 6d. a week (each inclusive of an allotment of 3s. 6d. from the militiaman's pay). In the remaining cases, the applicants were not found to be eligible for awards under the conditions prescribed (which are shown in the relevant White Paper, Cmd. 6043), but an allotment of 3s. 6d. a week from the militiaman's pay is being made in each case. I regret that particulars as to the numbers in receipt of awards at the 7s., 12s., 17s., and 20s. 6d. rate, respectively, are not available at the War Office.

Have these militiamen who are not satisfied the right to appeal?

I think not so.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is intended to make a practice of calling upon anti-aircraft personnel of the Territorial Army to man their war stations each year?

No, Sir, the intention is that certain of the anti-aircraft defences should be manned by militiamen during their continuous period of training. The militiamen will take over this duty from the Territorial Army this year as soon as they have been trained. Subsequently, the Militia will be responsible for manning these anti-aircraft defences until such time as the Territorial Army units forming the Air Defence of Great Britain are called out for actual duty

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of acres of land held by the War Department?

The War Department freehold and leasehold property over 21 years amounts to 299,059 acres.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that some 2,000 Territorials are housed at a camp at Okehampton, Devon, which the recent rains have reduced to something approaching a morass; that there is only one hospital with only three beds and no kitchen or cooking accommodation attached; and what steps will be immediately taken to provide men who are voluntarily serving with adequate accommodation?

It is the case that some 2,000 Territorials have recently been in camp at Okehampton, the excess over normal numbers being due to the desire of the commanding officers concerned that duplicate units should attend together with the original units. The troops sleep under canvas, and the exceptionally bad weather has involved discomfort. As regards hospital facilities, cases unlikely to recover in 48 hours are taken by ambulance to the Royal Naval Hospital at Plymouth. For minor cases, there is a reception station with four beds at the camp, and these beds have not, in fact, all been filled at any one time this summer. Cooking facilities are not normally provided at reception stations, meals being sent from the main cook house, but there are facilities for heating milk and so on, if required.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman to read that reply again in order that hon. Members may hear it?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the facts are not as stated in the question, and that these men have been housed in a camp which has been reduced to a morass by recent rains; and whether he proposes to take any action to change the locality of the camp?

I am informed that the camp has not been reduced to a morass. I have already explained that this was done at the desire of the commanding officers who were clearly warned that the extra numbers would involve difficulties, but they said they desired to have both these units together. Certain inconveniences have arisen here, as indeed they have arisen all over the country, on account of the exceptionally heavy rain.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the floorboards of the tents were covered with water, and that the men had to sleep on them afterwards?

I was not aware of that.

Was it not stated that these men would not be called up unless the facilities were there? Why is the right hon. Gentleman calling them up if the facilities are not there?

These are not men who have been called up. These are Territorials in a Territorial camp.

The militiamen are the same.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the militiamen in camp at Norton Manor have been given a lecture by the commanding officer in which they were told that one of their main tasks was to combat Communism; and whether political propaganda of this character has the sanction of His Majesty's Government?

I am informed that the commanding officer at this camp made no such statement.

In view of the fact of the wide publicity which has been given to the character of the lecture delivered by the commanding officer, will the right hon. Gentleman not make further and more effective inquiries?

I have made the most effective inquiries that I could, and I have had a telegram saying that the commanding officer makes an absolute denial of the allegations in the question.

Are not the allegations in these questions doing a great deal of harm?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that at many reading tents attached to Militia camps all the national newspapers are to be found with the exception of the "Daily Herald," "News Chronicle," and the "Daily Worker"; and will he give instructions that no newspaper shall be banned for political reasons?

Newspapers are not provided out of public funds, and they should be provided in accordance with the wishes of the men.

Would it be in order if the men expressed a wish for the "Daily Worker" to be in the camp, for the "Daily Worker" to be in the camp?

Yes, Sir. All tastes, however exceptional, can be provided for.

asked the Secretary of State for War what complaints he has received of the conditions prevailing at Blandford camp; and will he have steps taken to remove the causes there of?

Exceptionally bad weather has interfered with the amenities of this camp, but I am informed that there is no lack of food or hot water, and that everything possible has been done to overcome the difficulties that have arisen. The camp is constantly being inspected, and I have received a recent assurance that there is now general satisfaction.

asked the Secretary of State for War what complaints he has received regarding the conditions prevailing at the militiamen's camp at Oswestry; whether he is aware that the boys are sleeping eight in a tent, resulting in overcrowding; that the huts being prepared will not be ready for three months; that, owing to the recent weather the whole place is a bog; that there are 50 already in hospital and that one has died of pneumonia; that the food is poor and scarce, the menu being one small sausage and a small piece of bacon for breakfast, a spoonful of hard peas and possibly two potatoes for dinner, and two slices of bread and jam for tea; and whether he will have immediate inquiries made into these complaints with a view to their rectification?

The amenities of this camp have suffered owing to the abnormally bad weather. The militiamen are not sleeping eight in a tent, but six. It is hoped that, with reasonably fine weather, the huts will be ready in two months, and not in three. There are not 50 men in hospital, but three men have been sent to a civil hospital at Shrewsbury, one suffering from pneumonia, one from tonsilitis, and one from bronchitis, and all are doing well. There are five men in the camp hospital suffering from trivial complaints, and there are 15 vacant beds. No militiaman has died of pneumonia or any other cause. The diet is not as described in the question, and there is no evidence of a shortage of food.

Are we to take it then that the scores of letters and numerous telegrams that I have had from parents and men in these Militia camps are untrue? Will the right hon. Gentleman also say why there is this delay in the building of these huts, especially when certain firms say that they can be put up very rapidly? Thirdly, in view of the fact that a telegram has just come which states that there is a foot of liquid mud, which is beginning to smell, would it not be advisable either to let these lads return home or to remove them to another place in which reasonable conditions can be provided?

As soon as this question was put on the Order Paper and was given wide publicity, I asked the Quartermaster-General to go in person to inspect this camp, and he has refuted every one of the allegations. I have had a letter from the Lord Lieutenant of the County this morning, who has also personally inspected the camp and who gives an account quite the reverse of that contained in this question. I do not wish to pretend that in the conditions which have prevailed the life is ideal—it never is in soldiering—but everything possible has been done, and there has been no delay in building the huts, which are not due for completion until 1st October.

:Will the right hon. Gentleman permit me after Question Time to submit to him the information that has been supplied to me in this connection by men of standing and men whose words can be relied upon?

Yes, I shall be most obliged. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman has seen some accounts in the newspapers, notably in the "Times," which speak very highly of the conditions in this camp. Nevertheless, I shall be most obliged if the hon. Gentleman will give me that information, but I would ask him to believe that to put questions down at this time which suggest that men are seriously ill and dying does cause widespread alarm, and if he could manage to let me have such particulars so that I could verify them before publicity is given to them, I should be much obliged.

I will let the right hon. Gentleman see some of the information that has been supplied to me.

In view of the disquiet that prevails in many quarters in regard to these allegations, could the right hon. Gentleman afford facilities to hon. Members to visit some of these camps?

Yes, Sir, I have already said that I should welcome very highly visits by hon. Members. All these camps have been thrown open—at least, such has been the intention—and I think the opportunity has been taken by journalists to walk freely about the camps, to ask any questions they like, and to see anything they like, and I think most of them are extremely favourable, although, of course, the weather conditions are exceptionally bad.

I do not want to pursue the question, but it is so important that I would like to ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that some parents complain that they were refused permission to see the camp?

If that be the case, it was very wrong, and I will see that it is rectified. It is not our intention to close these camps at suitable opportunities to parents or to the Press, and we should very much welcome visits from Members of this House.

While appreciating all that my right hon. Friend has done to make inquiries, may I ask him whether, in view of the fact that I too have heard complaints about this camp, and only this camp, as regards catering, he will send one of his catering advisers to make inquiries?

That has already been done, and the principal catering adviser has been there. If my hon. and gallant Friend has anything further in mind, perhaps he will speak to me about it.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the policy of retiring senior officers in order to facilitate promotion is to be amended, in view of the expansion of the Army, and the present international tension?

No alteration in the regulations is necessary or desirable, but the recent expansion has made it possible to retain on the active list a number of senior officers within the age limit who could not otherwise have been given further employment, and officers who have retired are being re-employed as is most suitable.

While recognising the vigorous efforts that the right hon. Gentleman has made, may I ask whether he realises that numerous officers with considerable experience, which is vitally necessary in these times, are being retired, and therefore, will he reconsider the matter from the point of view of retaining the services of officers who are in the prime of life and who have had considerable experience?

I think that that is not quite accurate, and that there are very few such officers who are being retired. I think there is another question on the Paper giving the figures. In all suitable cases I think they are being re-employed.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make any statement with regard to the provision of Bren guns to second-line Territorial regiments?

The 104 duplicate infantry battalions now have eight guns each.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, I should like to ask for his assurance that those figures apply to the Scottish Command as well as to the other Commands?

I hope so. My information is that they apply to the whole of the 104 infantry battalions.