§ 49. Mr. Wyattasked the Minister of Defence whether he will allow those men who would have been demobilised before 1st January, 1949, if demobilisation had not been retarded by three months, to receive the same benefits on demobilisation as they would have received had they been demobilised before 1st January, 1949.
§ Mr. AlexanderYes, Sir. The basic principle is that release benefits depend on the date a man is called up, not the date he is released.
§ Mr. WyattIs my right hon. Friend satisfied that all these men who are being delayed in their demobilisation, and therefore are to be demobilised after the beginning of next year instead of before the end of the year, will get the same benefits in free clothing and so forth when they are demobilised and not merely financial benefits?
§ Mr. AlexanderI have emphasised that the benefit depends on the date when a man is called up. The date which affects the benefits of the men concerned is the one announced some time ago, namely, whether the man was called up before or after 1st January, 1947.
§ Mr. JenningsWill not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the extension of these three months is a great hardship to those people who will have their demobilisation delayed? Parents are writing to many of us on that ground.
§ Mr. AlexanderDifficult national circumstances often create hardship.