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Transfer Expenses

Volume 466: debated on Tuesday 21 June 1949

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1 and 2.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) why travelling allowances are not permitted to personnel who are transferred to a new station to enable them to return to their old station to superintend removal of furniture, as is allowed in the Civil Service;

(2) if, in view of the excessive cost to personnel and their families of moving from one station to another, he will consider the granting of excess rent at new station over rent at old station as granted to the Civil Service.

As in the case of similar Questions addressed to me by the hon. Member on 31st May, I would refer him to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence on 13th April to a Question by the hon. Member for North Blackpool (Mr. Low).

Is not the Secretary of State for War aware of the grave concern felt by the personnel at the cost of moving stations, and is he really not going to do something to mitigate this expense, as has been done in the case of the Civil Service? Why cannot the Services have the same consideration shown to them as that shown to members of the Civil Service?

Because, as my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence said, and as I endorse, the conditions are not comparable.

Is it not the case that conditions are certainly not comparable because the moves of the Army are far more frequent and far less expected than those of other services, and is it not necessary that some consideration should be given to these people who have no settled homes and who are put to this unnecessary expense?

I am very glad to have the hon. and gallant Gentleman's endorsement of the principle I have enunciated.