asked the Secretary of State for War whether, to prevent the waste of essential foods at military camps, he will consider immediately setting up a salvage corps, either to prevent waste or to turn excess rations to profitable use?

Commanding officers are responsible for the prevention of waste, and recent inspections have not revealed that food is being wasted. The by products of messing are disposed of to the best advantage, and the proceeds, which are credited as part of the messing account, accrue for the benefit of units. The creation of a salvage organisation for the utilisation of other waste products is being examined in conjunction with the other Departments concerned.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the son of the late Mr. Hooley set up pig crays behind the camps and thus used all the waste, with great profit?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in South Wales there is complaint of a shortage of food?

The question on the Paper appears to indicate that the contrary is also the case and that extra rations exist in some places.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can indicate when the services of the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers will be required?

These officers have been and are being called up as required.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make a statement with regard to youths of 18 and 19 years of age, indicating the position with regard to overseas service?

It is not the policy to send overseas any man already serving until he has reached the age of 19, and it is not the present intention to call up men under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act to go overseas below the age of 20.

For the sake of clarification may I ask whether the answer of the right hon. Gentleman means that a boy of 19 years of age who joined the Service voluntarily and was in his unit when the war was declared, is competent to go overseas and is being sent overseas?

Yes, Sir.

Is it not a fact that in some cases commanding officers are subalterns of 19?

What is the position of a young fellow of 18 who joined the Territorials before the war and has now been sent overseas?

He will come back.

Does this state of affairs coincide with the right hon. Gentleman's definite promise to the House when we discussed this position, and does he think it right that young men of 19 should be sent overseas when other classes will not be sent until they are 20?

This meticulously follows what I promised to the House, as the hon. Member will see from the Debate.

asked the Secretary of State for War when it is intended to issue fuller communiqués regarding the Western Front operations, in lieu of the laconic ones at present being sent out, and thus save the public having to rely on versions given through the Press correspondents of other countries, which information is not known to be accurate?

The French G.Q.C. issue regular communiqués concerning operations on the Western Front. When the British Expeditionary Force is in action against the enemy, communiqués will be similarly issued.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, owing to the high payments to air raid precautions personnel and the low rates of pay offered to the older men who comprise the National Defence Companies, recruitment for the latter has been most unsatisfactory; whether he will lower the age limit to 41 and remove the higher age limit so as to include fit older men who now come under no category; and whether he will make any statement as to improved conditions so as to ensure increased personnel for these companies and relieve Territorial units now guarding vulnerable points?

I have in contemplation a change in the present method of manning vulnerable points.

asked the Secretary of State for War why no reply has been sent to the National Union of Agricultural Workers to letters dated 1st August and 16th August in connection with an accident which occurred on 13th May to one of their members; and when a reply is to be expected?

I have been unable to trace the letters from the particulars given, and the hon. Member has been asked for some additional information, on receipt of which I will have further inquiries made.

While apologising to the right hon. Gentleman for not getting the information to his Department as quickly as possible, although I did write yesterday giving particulars, may I ask whether, if I put down a question next week, the right hon. Gentleman will be able to give me an answer?

There is no need to apologise at all. There is no trace of the letters in the registry, but as soon as I receive particulars from the hon. Gentleman I will do my best to give him an answer.

asked the Secretary of State for War what instructions have been issued to commanding officers, and what transport facilities have been arranged, to enable Members of Parliament serving in the Army to attend meetings of Parliament, visit their constituencies, and otherwise, so far as practicable, perform their Parliamentary duties?

I propose to answer this question more generally. The right of a Member of Parliament to attend upon the House cannot be impugned; but if such right were unreasonably or inappropriately invoked, it might become impossible for the military authorities to allow the Member in question to continue to serve with his unit. Normally these matters can readily be arranged between the serving Member and his commanding officer. Members can be trusted to judge rightly in the discharge of their obligations; and their services in the armed forces in time of war have always been highly valued by this House from the earliest days of Parliament. In these circumstances, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has arranged that serving Members will, in appropriate cases, receive similar transport facilities in the United Kingdom, to and from their units for the purpose of attending Parliament, to those which they now receive when travelling to and from their constituencies.

What does the right hon. Gentleman mean by "Members serving in the United Kingdom in appropriate cases "? Does that mean that any particular selection will be made?

No, Sir. The request for leave must be appropriately related to the intention for which these facilities are to be made available.

No doubt my Tight hon. Friend will recall that an order was issued to commanding officers before the war broke out with regard to the attendance in Parliament of Members serving in the Forces; does that order apply to war conditions?

I was not aware that any order was issued; but, obviously, the facilities available in time of peace are not so easily made available in time of war. I think I have shown the intention of the Government in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that services of chaplains are not available to many of the new Army; whether he is satisfied that sufficient chaplains have been appointed; and whether there is any prohibition of parochial clergy rendering service in such cases, when requested?

A sufficient number of chaplains has already been appointed to meet existing requirements, and there is an adequate number of accepted candidates to meet requirements for some time to come. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.