§ 35. Mr. BOWERMANasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, since the year 1914, the allowance paid in lieu of rations to soldiers on the lodging list has been reduced from 2s. to 1s. 9d. and since last month to 1s. 7d. per diem; whether, when billeted, the householder is now paid 17s. 6d. per man per week, composed as follows: 1s. 9d. for rations and 9d. for lodging, fuel, and light per diem; whether, when drawing consolidated family allowance, the rate allowed to the soldier himself in lieu of rations is still 1s. 9d. per diem; and, if so, whether, in view of the increased cost of food, he will consider the desirability of continuing the allowance of 1s. 9d. per diem to soldiers on the lodging list in the Woolwich district and elsewhere?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe facts are as stated, but the general allowance in lieu of rations is now 1s. 7d., and I am afraid 1976 it is impossible to make any special arrangements for soldiers on the lodging list.
§ Mr. BOWERMANWhat justification is there for reducing the rations allowance when food prices are increasing?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe justification is that the ration itself has been reduced. The meat rations have been reduced a quarter of a pound and the rations allowance by 2½d.
§ 36. Mr. BOWERMANasked if the ration allowance to commissioned officers was reduced from 1s. 9d. per diem to 1s. 5½d. per diem in 1915; and whether it has since been increased to 1s. 9d. per diem?
§ Mr. FORSTERIn those cases where officers, to suit their own convenience, elect to take a money allowance instead of the ration in kind, the cash allowance was reduced in 1915 from 1s. 9d. a day to 1s. 5d. Following on a reduction in the ration is has been further reduced to 1s. 3d.