§ 43. Sir Waldron Smithersasked the Secretary of State for War, if he has considered details which have been sent to him concerning the conditions under which officers' wives live in the Near East; what immediate steps he is taking to rectify the position; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. ShinwellI am having inquiries made into the various representations made in the correspondence forwarded to me by the hon. Member. I will write to him as soon as possible.
§ Sir W. SmithersIs the Minister not ashamed that recruiting is so slack and will he in future cease to blame the wicked Tories?
§ Mr. ShinwellI am certainly not ashamed of the recruiting position. The present position is not at all unsatisfactory, but in so far as there are difficulties they are due to factors which are unfavourable and over which we have no control.