§ 16. Mr. STEPHENasked the Secretary of State for War if he is now able to state whether it has been found possible to make an arrangement whereby some additional reduction in train fare can be 2028 made in the case of young soldiers at long distances from their homes when on annual leave?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI am afraid that it would be impossible to discriminate between those individual soldiers who happen to be stationed far from their homes and those who are not, and any general extension of the existing facilities granted by the railway companies would involve an additional charge which I cannot accept against Army funds in the present state of the national finances.
§ Mr. STEPHENAm I to understand from the right hon. Gentleman that these lads are to be compelled to go on paying one-fifth of a year's salary in order to get a visit to their homes once a year?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI do not think that it is as much as that, but they do get reduced fares, and that is as much as I can arrange for them.
§ Mr. STEPHENIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the reduced fare in the case of a lad from Glasgow amounts to 75s., which is more than one-fifth of his salary for the year, and if it is beyond the intelligence of the administration of the British Army to come to a mileage arrangement in this matter?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe hon. Gentleman in calculating that percentage is ignoring everything except actual facts. He is omitting altogether the other advantages which the lad gets.
§ Mr. BUCHANANTs the right hon. Gentleman aware that from further north a fair number of soldiers enlist, and their position is even worse, for it means that they get in fact no holidays at all? Cannot he reconsider the whole question of distance in this matter?
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that according to his own figures last year, out of every 100 persons who enlisted, 71 were unemployed, and will he take into consideration the known poverty in their homes?