§ 4. Major DAVID DAVIESasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether there is any reason why, after the authorities have concluded the making up of accounts, the pay books of deceased soldiers should not be distributed to the deceased soldiers' representatives with other effects?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)The pay books are vouchers to the public accounts, and are necessarily retained with them.
§ Mr. HOGGECan the dependants of a deceased soldier not have access to these, in order to prove or disprove statements in the statement of account?
§ Mr. FORSTERWe always send a copy of the account.
§ Mr. HOGGEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the statement of account which is sent does not include access to the vouchers?
§ Mr. FORSTERI do not think there is any reason to doubt the accuracy of the statements in the account.
Mr. TYSON WILSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that very many of the soldiers themselves give information to their parents, and that (the parents do dispute the account?
§ Mr. FORSTERWhat the parents dispute is the accuracy of the entry in the account. The entry in the pay book would be the same as in the copy of the statement which we send.