§ 28. Mr. Odeyasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider bringing the Army Regulations in line with those of the Royal Navy, under which a serving officer who has failed to provide maintenance for his wife up to the actual amount of the marriage allowance received is given the option to pay the arrears of the marriage allowance to the wife or, alternatively to refund the whole of the marriage allowance to the Admiralty.
§ Mr. StracheyThe three Service Departments follow the same procedure in matters of this kind.
§ Mr. OdeyWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that there are quite considerable discrepancies in the treatment meted out under these Regulations, and that at a time of combined operations and equal shares for all it is very desirable that these Regulations should be completely identical in the three Services?
§ Mr. StracheyI think it is desirable that the Service Departments should follow the same procedure, and we think they do.