§ 26. Mr. Prenticeasked the Secretary of State for War how many married quarters have been provided for the British Army of the Rhine during the past six months; how many applicants are still on the waiting lists; and by what date he expects the lists to be cleared.
§ Mr. RamsdenFive hundred and twenty-eight married quarters have been provided for the British Army of the Rhine during the past six months. There are 4,097 applicants still on the waiting list and as my right hon. Friend said recently the list should be cleared by December, 1963.
§ Mr. PrenticeIs not this a very unsatisfactory position, bearing in mind that we have had an Army in Western Germany for sixteen years and that it is generally recognised that a lack of married quarters is one of the main checks on recruiting? Ought not the list to have been cleared up by now? Can the hon. Gentleman give any indication that the matter will be tackled more urgently with the object of beating the target date which he has just given the House?
§ Mr. RamsdenThe urgency of this problem is recognised on all sides, 240 certainly by my right hon. Friend, as has been made clear in Question and Answer and debate recently. Another 2,500 quarters should be ready by the middle of next year. We are going as fast as we can, but these quarters take time to build.
§ Mr. KershawCan my hon. Friend say whether the very satisfactory system employed in Berlin, which has provided so many married quarters—by using German contractors—is now the method being used in the B.A.O.R.?
§ Mr. RamsdenYes, Sir. We are trying everything.
§ Mr. LiptonNevertheless, would it not be cheaper and more sensible to bring the British troops back from Germany to this country, in that way providing room to enable German troops to stay in Germany and do their training there?
§ Mr. RamsdenThat is a different question.