§ 56. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether the Government are considering the advisability of paying a soldier when he is in a hospital through no fault of his own the full rate of soldiers' pay; if he is aware that whilst a soldier is being medically treated in a hospital 7d. per day is stopped from his pay, and if he is a married man and makes an allotment of 6d. per day there is nothing left for the man in question himself; and if he intends taking any action in the matter?
§ Mr. FORSTERI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on this subject on the 8th instant to the hon. Member for Edinburgh East.
§ Mr. THORNEDoes the hon. Gentleman recognise that in consequence of these men having to go into hospital and their pay being stopped they are sometimes in debt when they come out?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have already explained that I think a full stoppage is never made except where a man has to go into hospital through his own fault. Where a man has to go into hospital in consequence of wounds or disease incurred 1206 through service, there is no stoppage at all. In other cases, the amount of stoppage, as well as the question whether there should be any stoppage at all, rests with his commanding officer.
§ Mr. THORNEDoes the hon. Gentleman recognise that in numbers of cases men are compelled to go to hospitals through no fault of their own, though they have not been wounded?
§ Mr. FORSTERIn those cases it rests with the commanding officer whether to make a stoppage or not. I am advised that except where a man goes into hospital in consequence of disease incurred through his own fault a stoppage is not made.
§ Mr. PRINGLEWhy should there be a stoppage made at all when a man goes into hospital on account of illness incurred through the housing conditions in which he is placed?
§ Mr. FORSTERI do not think in the case there would be a stoppage.
§ Mr. PRINGLEBut there is!
§ Mr. HOGGEWill the hon. Gentleman give us this undertaking: that no soldier shall be put in debt through being in hospital?
§ Mr. FORSTERNo; I cannot give that undertaking. I think where soldiers incur disease through their own faults no case could be made out for altering the present Regulations.
§ Mr. PRINGLEWill the hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that where disease is incurred through no fault of the soldier no stoppage shall be made?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have said discretion lies with the commanding officer.