§ 10. Mr. Liddall (for Mr. Lyons)asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in order to improve the arrangements for recreation and relaxation of troops though-out the country, he will consider the appointment of area civilian committees whose help and local knowledge could be enlisted to co-ordinate and make more readily available all existing facilities and voluntary effort and to spread out, wherever possible, those facilities to troops in districts which now do not have them?
§ Mr. LawThe welfare of the Army is administered through honorary welfare officers, of whom there are some 1,500 in the United Kingdom. It is the duty of these welfare officers to obtain assistance from the civil authorities in their areas, and in a number of places civil committees are performing most valuable work in looking after the welfare of the troops. In certain parts of the country, the welfare officers are the mayors of the towns. My right hon. Friend is sending a letter to Lord Mayors, mayors and others drawing their attention to the great importance of this matter and asking for their full co-operation.