§ 8. Mr. PENNEFATHERasked the Under-Secretary for War if he is aware that a battalion in the Gloucestershire district have during the last five and a-half months been better fed and have saved a large sum of money as a result of catering for themselves instead of employing a catering contractor; and can he state what the total amount of this saving has been during the last five or six months and if the State has direct benefited through the return of the amount so saved through the paymaster?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)I understand that my hon. Friend is referring to one of the battalions of the Gloucestershire regiment. I cannot, I am afraid, state at the present moment the amount of money saved. Under the messing arrangements made by the unit the cost was reduced much below the maximum of 1s. 9d. per day, and public funds have benefited accordingly.
§ Mr. PENNEFATHERBut is it not the case, that in one battalion, which adopted the method of doing its own catering, it saved and returned to the Paymaster-General a sum of over £7,000 in five and a half months?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have told my hon. Friend that I am not in a position to state the exact amount.
§ Mr. PENNEFATHERWill the right hon. Gentleman allow me to give him the information?