§ 39. Mr. R. Gibsonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware the certain Territorials at Greenock have to pay omnibus fares of threepence each four times per day out of a weekly pay of 14s.; and whether he will take steps to have this hardship remedied?
§ Sir V. WarrenderI am making inquiries, and will write to the hon. and learned Member in due course.
§ Mr. GibsonIs the weekly pay of Territorials intended to cover an allowance for travelling expenses?
§ Sir V. WarrenderNo, Sir, but I will let the hon. and learned Gentleman have all the particulars.
§ 40. Mr. Gibsonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that certain Territorials at Greenock have not yet received payment of this year's camp bounty; and whether he will take steps to have this payment made forthwith?
§ Sir V. WarrenderI am not clear whether the hon. and learned Member is referring to men who have fulfilled the full requirement of camp attendance and drills under the regulations for earning the proficiency grant. If so, I shall be glad to have particulars of any cases within his knowledge, and I will have inquiries made at once. There are cases of men who attended camp but had not performed the number of drills required to qualify for the grant by the time they were embodied. The question of the payment to be made in these cases is under consideration.
§ Mr. GibsonIs the Minister aware that in the cases covered by the question the 27 bounty has been earned, but payment is being withheld until the men are at some distance from their homes, and that the intention is to make people pay their travelling expenses to their homes? Is that practice sanctioned by the Department?
§ Sir V. WarrenderI would rather the hon. and learned Gentleman submitted cases to me so that I could go into them with him.