HC Deb 24 October 1939 vol 352 c1192
43. Mr. Dobbie

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can assure the House that each member of His Majesty's Forces who has been embarked for France has had an issue of a greatcoat; and, if not, will he state the reason why?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

It has come to notice that, for some reason which is not clear, about 200 men arrived in France without greatcoats. Steps were at once taken to make good the deficiency.

Mr. Dobbie

Can we have an assurance that the Minister knows that all the men on the Western Front have had that issue?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

Yes, Sir. There was an omission in the case of only 200 men out of this large number who arrived without greatcoats, but they were issued as soon as the omission was discovered.