Mr. CHANCELLOR(by Pricte Notice) asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether recruits are entitled to leave before being sent from home to any theatre of war; whether drafts are being sent to Mesopotamia or Salonika without such leave; and, if so, whether he will arrange that in future no married soldier shall be sent to any of the fronts without the opportunity of a final visit to his wife and family?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIt has been and is the policy of the War Office to give draft leave. But circumstances arise which make it impossible to give it. The urgent and immediate need of men for a particular purpose and the availability of transport are governing considerations, and may render it impossible in every case to carry out our policy.
§ Mr. BILLINGIn view of the fact that this unreadiness is largely due to inefficiency in the administration of the War Office—