HC Deb 18 April 1944 vol 399 cc10-1
20. Mr. Vernon Bartlett

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the hardships caused by the regulation that the wife of a soldier who is an absentee or a deserter, or is sentenced to detention, automatically loses her family allowance and her war service grant; and what steps he proposes to take to remove these hardships.

Sir J. Grigg

Family allowance and the qualifying allotment from the man's pay remain in issue throughout the period he is undergoing detention unless he is discharged or transferred to the Reserve. Any voluntary allotment remains in issue in addition for the first 28 days and then ceases. The allowance ceases to be paid when a soldier has been absent without leave for more than seven days and in this connexion I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stratford on 24th June last.