§ Mr. Parkerasked the Secretary of State for War whether arrangements can be made to give free travelling vouchers to soldiers given sick leave, in addition to their ordinary quota of free travelling passes?
§ Sir E. GriggThis concession has been granted in cases where the medical officer has ordered the soldier to go on sick leave and the sickness was not due to the soldier's own fault.
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§ Captain Pluggeasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider, with the London Passenger Transport Board, granting reduced fares or free tickets to soldiers on leave from the front travelling to their homes with free vouchers, and who have to cross London and use the underground railways?
§ Sir E. GriggThe vouchers referred to enable soldiers to cross London by underground railway, in the course of the journeys covered by the vouchers, without expense to themselves; and, if a soldier's final destination is served by an underground station, he should see that the voucher is made out to that station, and not to the terminus at which he arrives in London. I may add that, in order to facilitate journeys between London termini, buses are provided in which soldiers on leave from the British Expeditionary Force can travel free.
§ Captain Pluggeasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that soldiers returning from the front with free travel vouchers to their homes have none the less to pay Underground railway fares in London; and whether he will consider widening the scope of the voucher so as to include transit on the Underground railways?
§ Mr. StanleyI would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which is being given to-day by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the War Office.