asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that discontent has been caused by the exclusion of Dagenham, Barking and other parts of East London from the extra allowances granted to sailors' dependants living in the London postal area; and whether he will consider giving these to all those living in the London transport area, in view of the high rents, fares, etc., which have to be met by residents in outer London?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War gave him on a similar Question about the dependants of soldiers on 21st February.

Would the hon. Gentleman like to see some of the letters from sailors' wives, who want to know why they cannot get the 3s. 6d. extra which wives next door are getting?

Certainly.

Will the hon. Gentleman consider extending the area in which these grants are paid from the London postal area to the London transport area?

Is my hon. Friend aware that there is discontent also in Portsmouth and other towns in which the rents, rates, and cost of living are high, at sailors' wives being excluded from the allowance granted to those living in London?

I understand it has always been the trade union practice that if special rates of pay are payable, they are paid to those living in the London area. We have to choose some area, and I think that the area which has been chosen is the correct one.

Is not the postal area an arbitrary one as an area covering London, and is there not a larger number of people living outside the area than inside?

I do not think the claim has ever been made by the trade unions for extra scales in respect of the area to which the hon. Member refers.

As the hon. Gentleman has mentioned trade union agreements, will be examine the areas covered by London trade union agreements, and if he finds that some of the representative areas are beyond the areas he has taken, will he give favourable consideration to the request made by my hon. Friend?

I will certainly look into that matter.