§ Mr. BOYTONasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can see his way to paying dependants on the Army weekly instead of monthly; whether he is aware that monthly payments lead to in many cases unwise use of the money and great distress, and if he could arrange for weekly payments through the county councils and borough council organisations, to whom money could be remitted 772 in bulk for distribution at council offices and by sub-division at schools, etc.?
§ Mr. SAMUEL ROBERTSasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the widespread dissatisfaction existing with respect to the manner in which the pay for soldiers' wives and families is being managed and distributed owing to pressure of work; and whether he will, in cases when assistance is applied for, authorise the appointment of an official to be paid by the Government to superintend and assist the work now being done by the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association?
Mr. BAKERI am fully aware of the circumstances, and gladly acknowledge the great assistance rendered by voluntary workers to the War Office in dealing with an unprecedented situation. A system of direct weekly payment of these allowances will be put into operation at the beginning of October, and will, I hope, remove the difficulties to which the hon. Members refer.
§ Mr. S. ROBERTSThat does not quite answer the question I asked about the system.
Mr. BAKERThe system of direct weekly payment which I mentioned in my answer will cover that point, and so it will be unnecessary.
§ Mr. BOYTONMay I ask whether it would not be possible to do it in the same way as old age pensions by giving a form of cheque for the amount?
Mr. BAKERThat is a very valuable suggestion, but I would rather the hon. Member waited until he saw the machinery.