asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has yet received the report of the Court of Inquiry into the alleged activities of a financial agent in connection with contracts; and whether the report will be published?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to announce the findings of the recent Court of Inquiry regarding War Office contracts; and what action he proposes to take in connection therewith?

The report of the Court of Inquiry has been received, and the Army Council have reached decisions on its findings, in relation to the Army officers whose actions were subject to inquiry. These decisions have been communicated to the officers concerned, and one of them has made certain representations, as he is entitled to do under the Army Act. Until I have had time to consider these representations, I think it would be premature to announce the action taken. I expect to be in a position to make an announcement at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the average weekly number of commissions granted during the last three months; and what is the total staff, military and civilian, of the Department which deals with the granting of commissions?

The answer to the first part of the Question is 740. Selection of candidates for commissions is, of course, the concern of many separate branches in the War Office among many other duties, according to the arm of the service and the source from which the candidate comes, but the staff dealing with the actual process of first appointments to commissions consists of three officers, 11 civilian clerks and one civilian typist.

Do I understand that that represents the total number of inhabitants in Hobart House?

No, Sir. If my hon. Friend reads my answer he will see I said that there are a great many other branches which, in one way or another, deal with the granting of commissions.

Is the Minister satisfied that all these commissions are granted on merit?

Certainly, my endeavours are to see that they are, and every step is taken to make certain that they are only so granted.

Are the three officers mentioned the officers who post new officers to the different regiments?

No, Sir.

Are professional footballers and professional cricketers who have been made officers given their commissions on merit?

Even professional footballers and cricketers may have merits.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the many photographs that have been published in the British and neutral Press of English prisoners in Germany, similar facilities will be granted for photographing German prisoners in English internment camps?

No, Sir. This is not considered to be desirable, though there is no objection to visits to the prisoner of war camps by accredited representatives of neutral Powers.

Will not the Minister agree that there has been considerable propaganda value to Germany in the publication of these photographs in neutral countries, and what is the objection to similar methods being adopted here?

I think it is against the ideas of most people in the country—certainly it is against mine—to make peep-shows of people who have the misfortune to be prisoners of war.

asked the Secretary of State for War on what date, and by whom, was the inquiry held into the dismissal of Major Alan Reid-Kellett, D.S.O., M.C., from his employment, civilian, as garrison engineer, Larkhill?

asked the Secretary of State for War what were the reasons for the dismissal of Major Alan Reid-Kellett, D.S.O., M.C.; and whether any inquiry is being made into his allegations of extravagance, waste and inefficiency in building camps and other Government works?

There is no reason for a formal inquiry into the termination of Major Reid-Kellett's employment and none has been held. The specific allegations which he made were grave in character and were judged, on inquiry by the War Office, to be without foundation. As, however, these allegations were persisted in, my predecessor asked my hon. and learned Friend the senior Member for Bolton (Sir C. Entwistle) to conduct an inquiry into them, and he reported that they were completely unfounded. A copy of this report has been furnished in confidence to the Select Sub-Committee on Army Expenditure. It would clearly not be in the interests of good working that Major Reid-Kellett should again be employed in a department against which he has made allegations which he has failed to substantiate.

Is the Secretary of State for War aware that the Financial Secretary to the War Office stated to me in this House last week that a proper inquiry had been held on this matter? Is he further aware that the inquiry to which he refers is not in any way complete, and that, in fact, this officer has been employed as a civilian, dismissed from a particular work for a report which he had rendered on a previous work, and that no appropriate inquiry has been held?

I cannot agree with that. Not only has there been an inquiry made in the War Office, but my predecessor, because the charges were persisted in, through excess of caution asked my hon. and learned Friend to undertake an independent inquiry. He undertook that inquiry most thoroughly and came to the conclusions I have stated. A copy of this report has been furnished to the Select Sub-Committee and they will be able to form their judgment upon it.

I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment on the earliest possible occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent a travelling allowance is made by regimental units to secure that, approximately, the same time at home is assured to all men granted leave; and whether he will consider making this practice universal?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given to my hon. Friend the Member for Down (Dr. Little) on 12th March and 4th April.

Did not those replies refer to the men with the Expeditionary Force?

One answer did, and the other answer referred to the alternative which is given to men serving at home, to take a shorter leave more often, or a longer leave at shorter intervals.

Is it quite impossible for the War Office to solve a simple problem like this? If they cannot solve this, how do they hope to win the war?

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the weekly compensation payable to a soldier for wear and tear of civilian clothes worn when on military duties; and whether there is any maximum to the compensation that may be paid?

The compensation payable to a soldier for wear and tear of civilian clothes worn on military duty is at the rate of 3s. 6d. a week when no greatcoat, uniform or boots are issued, and is subject to a maximum payment of 28s. There are lower rates applicable when part of the outfit is issued. It is now exceptional for the issue of an allowance to be required.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Queen's Army school-mistresses married to serving soldiers are not allowed to draw the wife's allowance although soldiers wives who are in employment as civilian school-teachers are; and whether he will take steps to end this anomaly by making Army school-mistresses otherwise qualified for the allowance eligible to receive it?

I am looking into this Question.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether instructions will be issued to all commands that the card of the National Union of Journalists, accepted by the Chief Constables' Association, shall be recognised as authority on the part of reporters to make legitimate inquiries, provided that the identity of the holder be vouched for by a magistrate, or otherwise confirmed?

The membership card of the National Union of Journalists cannot be accepted as conferring a right to carry out activities in all military areas, but, when permission is sought to visit any military station or establishment to which bona fide Pressmen may be admitted, the production of a membership card of the National Union of Journalists, containing a photograph of the holder, will be accepted as one method of establishing bona fides. The Secretary of the National Union of Journalists and all Home Commands have been so informed. These arrangements will also apply where a membership card of the Institute of Journalists is produced to the appropriate authority. The general question of the authority to be produced by journalists as a means of identification is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for War why Mrs. M. Sill, of 45, Castle Grove, Kendal, has been penalised by the loss of 16s. from her allowance as a result of her husband, No. 3597603, of the 4th Border Regiment, being punished for the offence of attempting to drink coffee while on duty, as such penalisation of wives for minor offences committed by the husbands in the Army is contrary to declared policy?

I have ascertained that a sum of 8s. (not 16s.) in respect of allotment from her husband's pay was deducted from the payments to Mrs. Sill in consequence of a forfeiture of eight days' pay which Private Sill incurred in February last. Under the procedure now in operation, payment to the wife is continued in such cases and the amount involved charged against the soldier's account for subsequent recovery, for a period up to 28 days. Instructions have been given for the 8s. in question to be paid to Mrs. Sill and charged against the soldier's account in accordance with this procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the troops in Palestine are not receiving the same treatment as members of the forces in France; that they are unable to purchase cigarettes duty free, and are obliged to pay full postal rates; and, in view of the fact that due to their distance from home it is impossible for them to get leave and they frequently have reason to use the air mail, will he approach the Government of Palestine with a view to extending to the troops in that area all the privileges now granted to the troops in France?

As has been stated in reply to previous Questions on this subject, the distinction between troops in France and those elsewhere lies in the fact that the former are serving in a theatre of active operations; but the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes are able to import goods into Palestine practically free of duty and to sell cigarettes to the troops there at prices very much less than those charged in this country. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Henley (Sir G. Fox) by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12th December last.

Will not my right hon. Friend see that the troops in Palestine have the same facilities as those prevailing in France?

I have explained why that is not possible, but special provision has been made by the institutes, and it is possible for troops to buy these things through the institutes at prices which compare favourably with the prices which the soldiers would have to pay if they were in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that ration money is sometimes not paid till the expiration of a soldier's leave, with consequent financial hardship; and will he arrange for a soldier always to be paid his ration money when he commences his leave?

If the hon. Member will let me have particulars of the cases he has in mind, I will have them investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that essential agricultural production in support of the Government's food campaign policy is still being seriously interfered with by military operations, for instance, in the Swindon and Marlborough areas; and whether there has been any consultation between the local military command and the Wiltshire County War Executive Agricultural Committee to obviate this interference, and with what results?

The needs of military training cannot, unfortunately, be met without interference with agricultural interests, but every effort has been made to reduce this disadvantage to a minimum, and the War Office has throughout maintained close consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture. In the case of the area to which my hon. Friend refers particularly, there has been consultation with a representative of the county war executive agricultural committee, and various modifications in the proposals originally put forward by the military authorities were made.

Is my right hon. Friend considering the instances given to him where fences have been broken down, gates left open where stock is, and tanks and guns taken where lambing is going on, greatly to the detriment of agricultural operations?

I will look into cases of negligence, but we do make every effort when we take ground for training purposes to arrange beforehand with the local inhabitants to try and make use of the ground in a way that will cause the least possible damage to agriculture.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Private G. Boycott, No. 3526238, is alloting 10s. 6d. a week out of his Army pay to his widowed mother, who resides at 16, Bold Street, Leigh, and no dependants' allowance is given to her because her son is a Regular soldier, and therefore, is held not to come within the regulations of contributing to the home six months before the war broke out; and will he consider bringing all soldiers within the allowance scheme?

Dependants' allowance is designed to provide for cases in which hardship is caused through men who have joined the colours in connection with the war being unable to continue support which they had previously been giving to dependants. It is not a normal emolument of the Regular Army; but, where in fact a soldier who was serving before the war was for the six months preceding the outbreak of war contributing towards the support of a dependant an amount in excess of the qualifying allotment appropriate to his rate of pay and on a scale which would have rendered a dependant's allowance admissible had he been in civil life during that period, an award can be made. The previous contribution by the soldier is an essential feature of the scheme. According to my information, Private Boycott was making a contribution of only 3s. 6d. a week up to 20th March, 1939, when he increased it to 7s. a week. In those circumstances, an allowance in his case is not admissible.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take into account the fact that many of these young men were apprentices before they joined the Regular Army, and that this test of what they were contributing before they went into the Army is very unsuitable?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the conditions of the home in this case have changed since the man joined, that the mother is now out of work, and that the man was contributing 7s. a week before May last? If I send particulars to him will the right hon. Gentleman go into the matter?

Yes, I will look into it.

Does not the Minister consider that where a serving Regular soldier before the war has been making some contribution to dependants it establishes, at any rate, partial dependency, so that something ought to be paid?

The conditions are quite different. The whole basis of the dependant's allowance is that the man has been taken away from his civilian occupation and it has been made impossible for him to contribute to the family on the same scale as before. The Regular soldier is in the same position financially in war-time as he was in peace-time, and he is able to continue making the same contributions in war-time as he did in peace-time.

Does not the Minister see that this is unfair and is causing a great deal of discontent in the country?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider how a fine of £2,imposed on a serving soldier while acting as chauffeur to an officer, ought to be met in the best interests of the soldier and the Service; whether he will consider issuing instructions for setting up a regimental insurance fund to meet such incidents or otherwise to ease the burden from the shoulders of a soldier receiving 6s. per week; and whether he has any statement to make on the subject?

A soldier acting as a chauffeur who commits a breach of the Road Traffic Act or other civil offence is liable to penalty in a civil court equally with any other person, and I see no justification for a regimental insurance fund. It is the practice to pay fines on the soldier's behalf and to recover the amount from him by instalments.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman consider that a serving soldier acting in a case of this sort is in quite a different position, so far as ability to pay, from that in which he would be if he were a civilian?

I cannot agree that he is in a different position, because the law applies to him as a soldier equally as it does to a civilian and he has to obey the law in just the same way.

Is it not a fact that if a serving soldier disobeys an order of an officer, that is under military law? What is a man to do if an officer orders him to disobey the civil law?

That is a hypothetical case. If an officer gave a man an order to disobey the civil code it would be a grave disciplinary offence on the part of the officer and would certainly have to be punished.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many English officers from English regiments have been posted to Scottish regiments since 1st January, 1940; whether he is aware that such transfers have prevented Scottish cadets, the sons of Scotsmen, from being posted to Scottish regiments; that this causes discontent and is lowering the morale of Scottish units; and whether he will give an assurance that the practice complained of will cease?

I regret that no record has been kept which would show the number of English officers from English regiments posted to Scottish regiments since 1st January, 1940. But I am assured that, except in the case of Home Defence battalions, the number is negligible, and that such a posting is not made except when there is a particular requirement for which no Scottish officer is available. Even so, endeavour is always made to provide an officer of Scottish descent. I do not think, therefore, that the effect can be such as the hon. and learned Member indicates.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that Scottish officers are swarming in English regiments, who do not really mind very much?

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that this is causing very grave concern among officers and men, both those in Scottish regiments and those prevented from joining Scottish regiments, and can he say what is the machinery for posting officers to particular regiments?

It will only be causing concern at all if the facts are misrepresented. This posting seldom occurs, and only when a specialist officer is required for any particular job and when there is no Scottish officer available.

Could my right hon. Friend say how many Scottish officers are serving in the Navy?