§ 55. Mr. E. Johnsonasked the Minister of Defence if he will take steps to amalgamate the Army chaplains and Royal Air Force chaplains into one branch of the Services.
§ Mr. John HareI have been asked to reply.
There is already a great deal of mutual assistance between chaplains of the three Services; and it is not clear that any saving would be obtained by amalgamation.
§ Mr. JohnsonIs my right hon. Friend aware that he is mistaken in the statement? Cases frequently occur when an Army chaplain travels to take a service for the Army to a place where there is already a R.A.F. chaplain who, in turn, travels to take a service for the R.A.F. at a place where there is already an Army chaplain. Does it much matter what colour trousers are worn under a surplice?
§ Mr. HareIf my hon. Friend could give either my right hon. Friend or myself details of those instances, I should be delighted to look into them.
§ Mr. de FreitasIs it not a fact that those details have already been given in this House in the Estimates this year, and how can it be that the Secretary of State does not know about them?
§ Mr. HareIt is all very well the hon. Gentleman getting excited. Those questions have been looked after, but I assume that my hon. Friend will be producing new examples, though I can only assume that.