§ 19. Mr. KENNEDYasked the Secretary of State for War the amount now paid weekly to private soldiers on enlistment; and what extent the low rate of pay offered is related to the difficulty in obtaining recruits for the Army?
Mr. COOPERThe pay of the private soldier on enlistment is 14s. a week, but this takes no account of the value of what he receives in kind, in respect of lodging, clothing, food, fuel and light, etc. If the pay of the soldier were higher, there might be a greater demand to join the Army, but how much greater it is impossible to say.
§ Mr. GALLACHERIn view of the fact that the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence said that he was anxious that employés should get adequate remuneration, will the Secretary of State for War see that the ordinary soldier gets adequate remuneration?
§ Mr. CHARLES WILLIAMSDoes the Russian soldier get anything like the same amount of pay?
§ Mr. GALLACHERIf the Minister wishes to discuss the Russian Army in this House, I shall be only too happy to take part.
§ 20. Mr. KENNEDYasked the Secretary of State for War the average amount paid per person, respectively, in the last financial 230 year to commissioned officers, noncommissioned officers, and men in the Army?
Mr. COOPERThe payments to officers and other ranks vary considerably according to rank and arm of the Service, and in the case of the former, to the extent to which allowances are paid in cash as apart from issues in kind. Any statement of the average amounts paid to commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers and men, even were the information available, would therefore be misleading, but the right hon. Member will find much information as to the pay and allowances of officers and the pay of other ranks in Appendices VI and VII of Army Estimates.