§ 5. Mr. Profumoasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he will hold consultations with the Service Departments, with a view to adjusting the present mileage allowances paid to members of Her Majesty's Regular and Reserve Forces when using their own vehicles for duty, in order to bring these allowances into line with the present cost of petrol.
§ Mr. BirchThe rates of motor mileage allowance payable to members of the Forces when using their own cars for duty journeys are the same as those prescribed for other Government servants. The current rates, which were introduced with effect from 1st July, 1951, are at present under review.
§ Mr. ProfumoIs my hon. Friend aware that it has been calculated that the present average cost of motoring is between 7d. and 10d. a mile, which means that the allowances both to the members of the Forces and civil servants bear no real relation to the present cost? In view of this, and the fact that it may well have a bearing on the recruitment of our auxiliary forces, which are so important at this time, will he give an undertaking that these discussions will be carried out with the utmost dispatch.
§ Mr. BirchDiscussions are taking place through the machinery of the National Whitley Council at the moment. I cannot anticipate them.
§ Major BeamishIs my hon. Friend aware that soldiering is less attractive than it might otherwise be because of the number of financial pinpricks which officers and other ranks have to endure, and that one of these pinpricks is the time-lag between raising the price of petrol and fixing a higher mileage allowance? Will he look into this question and try to speed up the process?