§ 41. Mr. Piratinasked the Secretary of State for War how many soldiers were employed in clearing away the snow and ice; and how many have been, and are being, employed in relation to the floods.
§ Mr. BellengerWherever possible the Army has by local arrangement given help in response to emergency calls for which civil labour could not immediately be provided. Figures are not, however, available centrally showing the total number of soldiers employed on this work at any one time.
§ Mr. PiratinIs the Minister aware that my reason for asking the Question was in order to focus attention on the need for preparing now to use our troops on the land, and that if they could be used, as they have been so valuably used in the course of the floods and ice, they should be used now for the land?
§ Mr. BellengerThe hon. Member has jumped hastily to a conclusion, and it is a wrong one. The Army have helped on every possible occasion, and will continue to do so, when they are asked, but I regret to say that it is interfering with the training of the Army.