§ 16. Lieut.-Colonel POWNALLasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the hardship inflicted upon members of the permanent staff of London Territorial units owing to lack of housing accommodation; whether any decision has been arrived at with regard to grant of travelling allowances where instructors have necessarily to reside a considerable distance from the headquarters of their units; whether it is the duty of the military authorities to provide adequate accommodation, or adequate lodging allowance in lieu thereof, for all men admitted to the married establishment of the Regular Army; whether he is aware that the Territorial Force Associations, 170 having themselves no authority to acquire property for the housing of these instructors, are considerably limited in their powers to help; and whether he will consider the desirability of not asking Territorial Force Associations to augment, from the Territorial Vote, allowances made to these Regular instructors, all expense in connection with whom, as Regular soldiers, should be met from Regular Army Votes?
Sir A. WILLIAMSONI am aware of the difficulties, which are not limited to the London area. But I cannot agree to a grant of travelling allowances which could not be extended to the lest of the Army. We have endeavoured to meet the position by encouraging the associations to provide suitable accommodation in kind, and have given them authority to rent, purchase, or construct such accommodation. I am glad to say that considerable progress has been made in this direction. With regard to the last part of the question, I see no reason in principle why associations' funds should not be employed in this connection. The permanent staff is an integral part of the Territorial Force, and their pay is provided with all the other charges of the Force under Head II. of the Army Estimates.