§ 35. Lieut.-Colonel WINDSOR-CLIVEasked the Secretary of State for War whether all soldiers on the married establishment in the London district are in occupation of quarters and, if not, how many such soldiers are there for whom quarters are not available?
§ Mr. SHAWThe number of married families of soldiers on the married quarters roll in the London district who are not provided with public quarters is approximately 260. But this number includes the families of soldiers serving in the War Office and at the Horse Guards, for whom accommodation would not in many cases normally be provided.
§ 37. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Secretary of State for War what steps he is taking to provide the 400 families at Aldershot who are in quarters which are too small for them with fresh quarters?
§ Mr. SHAWThe general proportion of the different sized quarters built for married families was fixed as the result of a census taken some years ago, and I am having inquiry made to see whether any alteration in that proportion is desirable. The hon. and gallant Member will appreciate that this question has been a difficult one for years and that the problem is not capable of easy and quick solution.
§ Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGECan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the situation has been aggravated by bringing back the Army from the Rhine, and will he do all that he posibly can to expedite the clearing away of the slum conditions in the British Army?
§ Mr. SHAWI believe that there has been little or no aggravation of the position through bringing back the Army from the Rhine. I have heard allegations that there are quarters which date back to the Crimea, and of the intervening period since then we have only been responsible for two years. I will do my best to see that we meet our responsibilities.
§ 38. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Secretary of State for War how many married families of the British Forces there are in the Woolwich district which 226 are in quarters which are too small for them and for which larger quarters are not available?
§ Mr. SHAWThe number of families in married quarters in the Woolwich district to whom a larger quarter would be allotted were it available is 70.
§ Sir K. WOODIs not the position with regard to this matter so serious in Woolwich that the right hon. Gentleman himself has taken action for ejectment in the Woolwich County Court on several occasions?
§ Sir K. WOODDoes the right hon. Gentleman deny that he himself has taken several actions for ejectment quite recently in the county court there?
§ Sir K. WOODIs it not a fact that in all these proceedings the plaintiff on the summons appears as the Secretary of State for War, and is the right hon. Gentleman going to shelter himself behind his Department?