Mr. TYSON WILSONasked the Undersecretary of State for War, whether he is aware that the chief ordnance officer at Weedon has issued a regulation that members of the fire brigade who live in provided quarters must only have wives and children living with them; whether he is aware that one of the members of the fire brigade who has his father-in-law, an old man, living with him has been instructed that he must either leave the quarters or get rid of his father-in-law; whether he is aware that the man in question has had a father-in-law living with him for about eleven years without any interference; whether it is competent for a chief ordnance officer commanding a depot to issue such an order without consultation with the War Office; and whether he will inquire into the matter with a view to the threatened hardship on the man in question being avoided?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Colonel Seely)The replies to the first two parts of the question are in 1733 the affirmative. The father-in-law in question was brought into the quarters about a year ago and not eleven years ago as stated. It is competent for a chief ordnance officer to issue such an order. It is regretted if hardship has resulted, but it is considered that it was rightly decided to confine the occupation of the quarters to the wives and children of employés.