§ 67. Mr. HOGGEasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will say why a new Army Order has been issued making it imperative that applications for separation allowances must be made within one calendar month of enlistment; whether, in view of this new Order, recruits are asked to fill in Form O. 1838 when they are being attested; whether it is in the interests of economy that this new proposal is being made; and whether this new Order will deprive men who are serving their country of the opportunity of applying for a separation allowance at any period of their service when they consider that their dependants then require the same?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)The Army Order to which the hon. Member refers relates to separation allowances of soldiers' dependants. The intention of the scheme of 940 these allowances is to continue to the dependants the support which the soldier was giving before enlistment. The object of the Order was to shorten the delay in beginning payment and to enable the claims to be investigated while the facts relating to the period before enlistment can be verified promptly. Economy was not the object aimed at except in so far as it would be attained by facilitating investigation. Recruits are invited to make claims immediately on enlistment. The question of dependants who defer claiming because their present means are sufficient is, however, one which deserves and is receiving consideration.
§ Mr. HOGGEI beg to give notice that I shall raise this question on the Consolidated Fund Bill.