Miss Rathboneasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the undesirability of a too sharp contrast between the spending power of British and French soldiers and also between that of the married and the unmarried, he has considered whether there should be some 1024 means of requiring or persuading soldiers who do not need to make allotments for their families to save part of their pay at least while abroad; and whether the merits of war-saving schemes are being systematically brought before such men?
§ Mr. StanleyA scheme under the auspices of the Army Savings Association to enable soldiers on active service to save part of their pay was promulgated some years ago, and has been specially brought to the notice of the British Expeditionary Force by a General Routine Order. The soldier who desires to participate in the scheme fills up a form, which is readily available, stating how much of his pay he desires to save, and the amount is then deducted by the paymaster and remitted to the Post Office Savings Bank for credit on the soldier's account. The savings can be invested in National Savings Certificates or any other form of Government stock, as the soldier may direct.
Miss RathboneIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that this difference in spending power is not in fact something of an impediment to good feeling between the British soldiers and the French public and the British soldiers and the French poilus, and could not stronger steps be taken to introduce savings schemes, at any rate among soldiers who go to France?
§ Mr. StanleyIf the hon. Lady is suggesting that I should apply Professor Keynes' scheme to soldiers in the British Expeditionary Force, I am really unable to do it.