§ 35. Mr. Gallacherasked the Secretary of State for War why Mrs. M. Sill, of 45, Castle Grove, Kendal, has been penalised by the loss of 16s. from her allowance as a result of her husband, No. 3597603, of the 4th Border Regiment, being punished for the offence of attempting to drink coffee while on duty, as such penalisation of wives for minor offences committed by the husbands in the Army is contrary to declared policy?
§ Mr. StanleyI have ascertained that a sum of 8s. (not 16s.) in respect of allotment from her husband's pay was deducted from the payments to Mrs. Sill in consequence of a forfeiture of eight days' pay which Private Sill incurred in February last. Under the procedure now in operation, payment to the wife is continued in such cases and the amount involved charged against the soldier's account for subsequent recovery, for a period up to 28 days. Instructions have been given for the 8s. in question to be paid to Mrs. Sill and charged against the soldier's account in accordance with this procedure.