§ 31. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now reconsider applying the special 3s. 6d. rent allowance to soldiers' wives in the London Postal Area to the Metropolitan Police Area, and to other areas where rentals ar ecomparable; and whether he will consider a general rent allowance, particularly where rents are ever 10s. a week?
§ Mr. EdenI would refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to the hon. Member for West Fife (Mr. Gallacher) on 21st May and to my right hon. Friend the Member for Kirkcaldy (Mr. Kennedy) on 14th March, of which I am sending him copies.
§ Mr. SorensenWhile quite appreciating the answer already given, it does not actually deal with the artificial distinction drawn as between one part of London and another. In view of the very strong feeling as between one set of Londoners and another, would not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the question of extending the boundary in which this 3s. 6d. could apply?
§ Mr. EdenIt does deal with that point, but the difficulty is that any extension that we might make would only create another set of anomalies.
§ Mr. George GriffithsWhen considering this matter, will the right hon. Gentleman remember that there is a lot of high rents in Yorkshire, especially in the Hems worth Division?