§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (THE EARL OF MUNSTER)My Lords, I beg to move that this Bill be now read a second time. I do not think it is really necessary for me to explain to your Lordships its principal and primary object, beyond reminding you that it must become law before the end of this month. It contains no matter of any controversial nature, but I shall endeavour to draw your Lordships' attention to the principal clauses of the Bill. The Army Act at present makes no provision for billeting vehicles, and the object of Clause 4 of the Bill is to enable vehicles to be billeted in any building or on any land when a state of emergency has been declared. In paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of Clause 4 it is provided that payment for billeting is not ordinarily required when vehicles are billeted in the open, but payment would become necessary in a private car park 650 which is only free to patrons. In every case, however, compensation will have to be paid for damage that has been done.
The fifth Clause of the Bill amends Part I of the Second Schedule to the Army Act in respect of meals which an occupier may have to supply to a soldier when billeted upon him. The Second Schedule of the principal Act is applicable both in peace and in emergency. It provides at present for three meals a day, and the Amendment now proposed in this Bill is designed to bring the meals more into line with those which are provided for soldiers and airmen in barracks, and in particular to provide them with a fourth meal—in this case, tea. Your Lordships will observe that Clause 7 of the Bill makes the Amendments in Clauses 4 to 6 applicable to the Air Force Act with the necessary modifications.
The object of Clause 8 is to remove an anomaly. This anomaly, I understand, has existed since 1922, when Section 47 of the Army Act was amended to provide that a superior authority dealing summarily with a charge against an officer could award a sentence of forfeiture of the whole or any part of his service for purposes of promotion, and in addition a severe reprimand or reprimand, but Section 44 was not amended at the same time to provide similar powers for courts-martial. Now that most officers in the Army are promoted up to the rank of major on a time basis, it will be obvious to your Lordships that it becomes necessary to remove this anomaly. Clause 9 amends Section 90 of the principal Act, and it proposes that the period for which the discharge or transfer to the Reserve of a soldier may be delayed with his consent should be extended from a period of three months to six months. The reason for this change is to enable a soldier coming home from abroad to complete a full course of vocational training before ceasing to draw his Army pay.
The object of Part III of the Bill is to simplify the prosecution before a court-martial of certain common offences not at present specifically covered by the existing sections of the Air Force Act. These offences are three in number:—Firstly, signing an unverified certificate in relation to aircraft; secondly, unauthorised low flying; and, thirdly, flying likely to cause unnecessary annoyance. In addition, 651 subsection (2) of Clause 11 makes it quite clear that where an officer or airman has been nominated to be the captain of an aircraft on any particular flight, all present on board, even though of superior rank, must obey his orders. That is the measure which I ask your Lordships to give a Second Reading, and it is one which, as I have already said, raises no controversial issue from any side of the House. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(The Earl of Munster.)
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.