HC Deb 29 June 1943 vol 390 cc1440-1
6. Sir Irving Albery

asked the Secretary of State for War, with reference to the new billeting rates announced on 1st June, whether he will explain how the new rates for heating, light, laundry and baths, offer an improvement in the amount paid, compared with the old rates?

Mr. A. Henderson

I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate a detailed comparison of the billeting rates in force before 1st June and those now in force. Prior to 1st June payments for heat, light, laundry and hot water for baths were only made if a prior claim was submitted by the billetor and no payment was made for fire and light unless they were provided separately for the soldier. If these services are provided payments are now made automatically and those for fire and light are made even if the soldier shares the billetor's fireside. Thus although the new rates for these services appear to result in a reduction in the payments previously made if only one or two soldiers are so billeted, in practice they will have this effect only in very few cases. If three or more soldiers are so billeted the new rates result in a net increase in the payments for heat, light, laundry and hot water. These payments must, however, be taken in connection with the payments made for lodging and for board and lodging. In most cases the new billeting rates taken as a whole give the billetor very substantial increases on the payments previously made.

Sir I. Albery

May I ask my hon. and learned Friend whether he is going to

The comparison between the old and new weekly rates of payment for heat, light, laundry and hot water for baths is as follows:

Billetor with Old Rates per week. New Rates per week. Increase or Decrease per week.
Summer. Winter. Summer. Winter. Summer. Winter.
s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d.
One soldier 1 2 3 11 1 2 2 4 No change —1 7
Two soldiers 2 1 4 10 2 4 4 8 + 3 — 2
Three soldiers 3 0 5 9 3 6 7 0 + 6 +1 3
Progressive increases for additional soldiers beyond three 11 11 1 2 2 4 + 3 +1 5

If full board and lodging, plus heat, light, laundry and hot water for baths is provided, the comparison is as follows:

Billet or with Old Rates per week. New Rates per week. Increase or Decrease per week.
Summer. Winter. Summer. Winter. Summer. Winter.
s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d.
One soldier 25 1 27 10 28 0 29 2 +2 11 +1 4
Two soldiers 48 9 51 6 56 0 58 4 +7 3 +6 10
Three soldiers 72 5 75 2 84 0 87 6 +11 7 +12 4
Progressive increases for additional soldiers beyond three 23 8 23 8 28 0 29 2 +4 4 +5 6