HC Deb 30 April 1940 vol 360 cc524-6
28. Mr. Hannah

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is the policy of the Government permanently to recognise the unmarried wives of soldiers, or only for the duration of the present war?

The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Oliver Stanley)

The Army Order which introduced the scheme of dependants' allowances, of which the provision to which my hon. Friend refers forms a part, expressly limits the application of the scheme to the period of the present war. It is premature to say what will be done when the war is over.

Mr. Hannah

Has my right hon. Friend realised how very unpopular this is in working-class homes?

Mr. Stanley

I think there have been cases of real hardship. Of course, one of the changes I made was to abolish the term "unmarried wives," which I am sorry to see the hon. Gentleman nevertheless uses in his Question.

Mr. Hannah

I apologise.

36. Mr. Lipson

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Regulation which prohibits the granting of a dependant's allowance to a mother of a member of His Majesty's Forces unless the minimum net support given by him before enlistment was 9s. weekly results in serious hardship; and will he amend the Regulation so as to enable a parent to receive an allowance where the minimum net support was less than 9s. weekly?

Mr. Stanley

The dependants' allowance scheme is designed to meet cases in which hardship is caused to persons dependent upon men who have joined the Colours through the inability of the soldier to continue, whilst in the Service, to contribute towards the maintenance of the dependant concerned as much as he had been doing in civil life. It is considered that a soldier can and should make some contribution from his pay towards the support of a dependant before Service funds are asked to accept liability. The minimum contribution prescribed in this connection for a soldier at the lowest rate of pay is 7s. a week, and, where before joining the Colours the man was not contributing more than 9s. a week, it is not considered that there is a case for supplementation by the State of the contribution which the man himself can make. If in any particular case there is, in fact, serious hardship, application can be made to the War Service Grants Advisory Committee for consideration of a special allowance.

Mr. Lipson

Will my right hon. Friend take into account the disadvantageous financial position in which a mother whose son has been called up into the Army is placed as a result of the increased cost of living as compared with a mother whose son is in a reserved occupation and able to give her increased financial support as a result of the war; and in the light of this, will my right hon. Friend consider whether he cannot at least substitute 7s. for 9s. so that there will be no loss at all to the mother?

Mr. Stanley

The allowance is to meet dependency where the soldier contributed something towards the mother's maintenance before the war.

Mr. Lipson

The mother is 2s. worse off now than she was before the war, and would it not be a small thing for the War Office to make up that amount?

Mr. Stanley

The system of the block amount has been adopted to avoid administrative difficulties. In some cases it works in favour of the dependant.

Mr. George Griffiths

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is great discontent up and down the land on account of this?

Mr. Logan

Would a Hardship Committee have power to give a grant to a mother whose son got married just as he was enlisting, if he was the sole support of his mother?

Mr. Stanley

The Committee has power to give a grant in any case of hardship if they consider the case to be established. I cannot answer a hypothetical question.

Mr. Logan

It is not a hypothetical question, but a question of fact. If a lad has joined up and his mother is now in worse circumstances, would she be entitled to get an allowance if her son got married on joining up?

Mr. Stanley

It might depend on whether, if the young man had married in peace time, the mother would not also then have lost his support.

Mr. Silverman

Is the Minister aware that there has been a great number of cases in which applications of this kind have been refused? Can he say whether the attention of a soldier is drawn to the rights he has, or his dependant, to apply for a special hardship allowance to the Advisory Committee?

Mr. Stanley

Every effort has been made, and in answer to Questions in this House I have explained what is done to call attention of all soldiers to this particular committee.