§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR (LORD GORELL.)My Lords, this is an extremely simple Bill and its object is explained fairly fully in the preamble. It will be within the knowledge of your Lordships that during the war large sums were made by the two canteen boards. It was always held by the Army and the Royal Air Force, which were in a different position from that of the Navy, that the benefit from these funds should go mainly to those soldiers who, having been civilians before the war, had returned to be civilians. The necessity for the Bill arises from the fact that it has been legally held that this money constitutes, technically, public funds, and the Bill, therefore, is designed to make legal the action which has already been taken in disbursing part of these funds and to obtain authority for the payment of the remainder. The sums set out in the Schedule are those which have been arrived at after full examination by Sir William Plender, who gives it as his opinion that they represent a fair and equitable settlement. I will answer any further questions your Lordships may desire to ask, but the matter is so straightforward that I do not think I need take up any more of your Lordships' time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Gorell.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.