§ Mrs. Middletonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will issue instructions to each commanding officer to see that information regarding release scheme B is brought to the notice of each member of the forces under his command.
§ Mr. Nieldasked the Secretary of State for War if he is satisfied that instructions as to release and other Service matters are reaching the commanders of higher formations in India and S.E.A.C. without delay and that full information upon such questions is made available to 1222W the troops in those commands as soon as possible; and, if not, whether he is taking steps to improve the situation.
§ Mr. LawsonI am satisfied that official instructions regarding release and other service matters reach the overseas commanders without delay. As regards information to the troops. I would refer the hon. Members to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Information on 10th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Everton (Mr. Kirby).
§ Lieut.-Colonel Hareasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now give estimated dates for the release of Army officers in Groups 22, 23 and 24; and, if not, when will he be in a position to do so.
§ Mr. LawsonThis forms part of the 1946 release programme now under consideration. I hope to be able to give estimated dates for these particular groups in about a month's time.
Mr. Braddockasked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the fact that the quota of teachers to be released under the B scheme has not yet been exhausted, why it is that teachers in Group 30 or earlier in the Army in England have been offered B release, while those mainly in Groups 27 and 28, who have been sent to India, have been offered no such release.
§ Mr. LawsonRelease under Class B is offered to teachers regardless of whether they are serving at home or overseas. There are, however, certain individuals both at home and overseas to whom release under Class B has not been offered for the reason that they cannot be spared for the present from their military employment without serious prejudice to the interests of the Army.
Mr. Patonasked the Secretary of State for War, if he. will expedite the release from the R.A.M.C. of Captain B. Broadbent, recommended by the Ministry of Health and the Central War Committee for transfer to Class B of the re-allocation scheme, so that he may take service as a medical officer of Norwich Friendly Societies' Medical Institute, whose 13,000 members are suffering from the present insufficiency of medical staff.
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§ Mr. LawsonNo application for this medical officer's release in Class B has been received from the Ministry of Health or the Central Medical War Committee. In the absence of a case sponsored by these authorities for release on grounds of urgent civil needs, no action by my Department is possible.
Mr. Braddockasked the Secretary of State for War if he will re-examine the question of Army officers held beyond their age and service groups and especially examine the possibility of improvising for a few months as had to be done under war conditions.
§ Mr. LawsonNo, Sir. This step was taken only after it became clear that no other course was possible if the Army was to meet its commitments.
§ Colonel Stoddart-Scottasked the Secretary of State for War if Group B demobilisation extends to S.E.A.C.; and if so will he make the figure available of men who have left S.E.A.C.
§ Mr. LawsonClass B release extends to S.E.A.C., but the records regarding these releases do not show the numbers from each Command and I regret, therefore, that I cannot supply the information asked for.
§ Colonel Stoddart-Scottasked the Secretary of State for War in view of the fact that there is one doctor for every 450 men in the Forces, when can Dr. Garscadden be released from the Army, so that the 4,500 inhabitants of Burley-in-Wharfedale can have a second doctor.
§ Mr. LawsonAll applications for the release of doctors under Class B must first be considered by the Central Medical War Committee, who judge each case on its merits. This doctor's case was amongst those recently considered by the Central Medical War Committee and he will shortly be released from the Army.