§ 28. Colonel HOWARD-BURYasked the Secretary of State for War whether, seeing that the time-expired soldiers come back from India in November and are, while unused to the winter climate, thrown on the labour market, he will in order to remedy this hardship, amend existing regulations so that time-expired infantry soldiers may serve for six months on the Home establishment after disembarkation unless the soldier has obtained suitable employment already?
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYCannot the right hon. Gentleman take sonic steps to see if he cannot prevent these men coming back from India from being thrown on to the labour market as unemployed? Cannot he take steps to see that they get a job before they leave the Service?
§ Mr. SHAWI should like to do everything possible to help these men who return from India, but the method suggested in the question involves certain financial, legal and practical difficulties which are of such a character, that it is almost impossible to carry it out.
§ Colonel HOWARD-BURYCannot the right hon. Gentleman consider some system or scheme of preventing these men from being thrown on to the labour market as unemployed? Cannot he think of something and give it his consideration?
§ Mr. MILLSWill it be possible to consider the fitness of these men for some of those parts of the Dominions which are of a tropical character, as there is no question that men after long service in India are unfit to stand the rigours of the British climate.
Earl WINTERTONWill the right hon. Gentleman consult with the Secretary of State for India, when I think he will find that already proposals have been put forward for carrying out exactly the scheme suggested by the hon. Member, namely, that they should obtain employment oversea?
§ Mr. THURTLEWill my right hon. Friend at the same time bear in mind the wishes of these soldiers to remain in England?