HC Deb 26 January 1943 vol 386 cc348-9
32. Mr. Bellenger

asked the Secretary of State for War, to what extent the pay and allowances of senior non-commissioned officers and warrant officers exceed those of junior officers after the latter have made provision for necessary expenditure on uniform upkeep, laundry, boot repairs and other items which, in the case of other ranks, is borne by Army funds; and whether he will give the respective figures after making these allowances?

Mr. A. Henderson

My hon. Friend will appreciate the difficulty of defining precisely the amounts spent by junior officers on the objects named. Such amounts must vary with individual officers and different circumstances. On the other hand, the cash value of the emoluments received in kind by the non-commissioned officer is, as my hon. Friend will recollect, a matter of some controversy. In these circumstances I do not think that the comparison can usefully be made.

Mr. Bellenger

Is not my hon. and learned Friend aware from his own personal experience that there is a considerable discrepancy in the net emoluments between the senior non-commissioned officers and the junior officers, and does not that militate against recruitment of officers from the senior non-commissioned ranks?

Mr. Henderson

I cannot accept the statement that there is a considerable discrepancy, and where there is any discrepancy it depends upon the value that one may assess in relation to the payments in kind made to non-commissioned officers.

Captain C. S. Taylor

If my hon. and learned Friend finds difficulty in getting the estimate of these figures from all the departments of the War Office, will he come and ask me, because I can give them to him?

Mr. Hogg

Would not the difficulty be avoided by issuing to junior officers the same facilities with regard to boots and laundry as in fact are received by non-commissioned officers and warrant officers?