41. Miss Wardasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give an assurance that while advantage is taken of the knowledge of paying rent allow ance acquired by the Unemployment Assistance Board, the investigation carried out into circumstances of applicants applying to the Military Hardships Tribunal will not be made by the officials of the Board?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe officials of the Board have special qualifications and are widely distributed over the country. So far as my Department can judge, their work has been fairly and efficiently done, and no reason is seen for any change in this arrangement. It would be extremely wasteful to set up a parallel organisation of new officials throughout the country.
Miss WardWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that I am not asking for new officials, but that the officials should be under the control of the War Office and not connected with the Unemployment Assistance Board, not that I am casting any reflection on the officials of the Board, because everyone recognises their efficiency?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaAs I endeavoured to make plain, they must either be the existing officials or new ones.