HC Deb 22 July 1952 vol 504 cc254-5
11. Mr. M. Lindsay

asked the Secretary of State for War how many resignations have been submitted in the last six months by Regular Army officers stationed in the Canal Zone; and what percentage of them are married.

Mr. Head

Between 1st January and 30th June this year, 41 Regular officers serving in the Canal Zone applied to retire voluntarily: of these, 73 per cent. were married.

Mr. Lindsay

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the allowances for married officers, who for long periods have to be separated from their familities, are generally considered to be inadequate, and that this view is held especially by all commanding officers at present serving in the Canal Zone?

Mr. Head

I am aware of that.

Mr. Lindsay

Then will my right hon. Friend say that he hopes to get matters improved in conversations with the Treasury?

Mr. Head

There are a great many matters in which there is plenty of room for improvement, but I can give no guarantee on them.

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Has the right hon. Gentleman wiped out the differentiation between the rates of pay of officers referred to in the Question and those for officers attached to the Command Secretariat in the Canal Zone, who get very much higher rates of pay but, apparently, do less work?

Mr. Head

I am aware of certain anomalies, and we are going into the question not only of marriage allowance but of seperation allowance for people in the Middle and Far East.

Mr. Simmons

How many other ranks have applied for permission to resign from the Canal Zone?

Mr. Head

That is another question.