§ MR. CARLILE () Buckinghamshire, N.I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether Reservists' wives are obliged to produce the birth certificates of their children before they can receive the separation allowance for them; and that, as the registrar's fee for each certificate is a fixed charge of 3s. 7d., a hardship exists in cases where women have several children, or are too poor to bear this initial expense; and whether, by reason of the special circumstances and urgency of the case, their fees might be remitted, or that some other form of declaration costing nothing might be arranged and accepted by the paymaster.
§ MR. WYNDHAMNo, Sir. The Reservist on joining declares the name and address of his wife and the number 566 of his children, and the separation allowance is issued on this evidence; but if through the carelessness of the Reservist or for other reasons a certificate of marriage or birth were required, the cost of obtaining such certificate would be ad-admitted as a charge against the public.