HC Deb 13 December 1949 vol 470 cc2498-9
36. Dr. Segal

asked the Secretary of State for War what facilities for local leave are available to British troops in the Suez Canal Zone other than to the island of Cyprus.

Mr. Shinwell

Leave centres for British troops in the Suez Canal Zone exist at Cairo, Suez, Port Fouad, Ismailia and Cyprus. Individuals are also at liberty to make their own arrangements for leave.

Dr. Segal

In view of the somewhat restricted facilities available, could not some of those camps built by us during the war in the territories of Cyrenaica, the Sudan, Aden and British Somaliland by opened up again as leave centres for these troops?

Mr. Shinwell

I should imagine that some of those places are hardly suitable for leave centres.

Lieut.-Commander Gurney Braithwaite

Is not Alexandria included in the list of leave centres for troops in this area? It has many more attractions to offer than Suez to men overseas.

Mr. Shinwell

Apparently it is not in the list I have given.