§ 44. Mr. Henderson Stewartasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he 216 is aware that officers of His Majesty's Colonial Service now home on leave with their wives are refused passages for their wives when returning to duty and that this refusal causes hardship in many cases especially where the wives have no homes in this country; and if he will take urgent steps to make passages available in all such cases.
§ Mr. George HallYes, Sir. I much regret this unfortunate consequence of the present shortage of shipping and I have every sympathy with those to whom it causes hardship. Until, however, more shipping becomes available special priority for the wives of Government officers must, I feel, continue to be limited to individuals returning to undertake work of national importance and so recommended by the Colonial Government concerned.
§ Mr. Henderson StewartWill the Minister consider especially the case of men who have occupied highly important Colonial posts abroad who returned recently with their wives, and have now been sent back without their wives, leaving them in this country with no home at all?
§ Mr. HallWe appreciate the hardship of cases of this kind, but it is physically impossible, with the transport facilities available, to meet such cases. The hon. Member can be assured that as soon as it is possible to meet such cases they will be met.
§ Mr. StokesMay I ask whether, in view of the Minister's statement about the shortage of shipping, he will ask the Minister of War Transport to explain where all the ships have gone to?
Vice-Admiral TaylorCould the Government not make arrangements to use some of the immense amount of shipping available in the U.S.A.?
§ Mr. HoggWas not this within the scope of the concession promised to us by the Prime Minister in this House yesterday?
§ Mr. HallThe reply given by the Prime Minister yesterday was very largely concerned with the wives of Service men.