§ Brigadier Lowasked the Secretary of State for War how many men of all ranks who are eligible for release under Class B have been refused release on grounds of military necessity.
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§ Mr. LawsonIn 63 cases it has been necessary to refuse requests for individual release in Class B. These men will in due course be released in Class A. In addition there is always a small but fluctuating number of men who cannot be released until the arrival of replacements. No accurate figure can be given as the individuals are constantly changing.
§ Mr. Hector Hughesasked the Secretary of State for War in cases where the release of building workers in any group for any reason is delayed, whether he will take steps to form them into building companies so that pending their release their services can usefully be employed to reduce the housing shortage.
§ Mr. LawsonThe release of builders has not been delayed in any group, except in a very few individual cases on grounds of military necessity. The second part of the Question does not therefore arise.
§ Mr. Mikardoasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that officers in those release groups which have been held up who are granted compassionate release from this further period of service beyond their due release date, forfeit their entitlement to the normal 56 days of paid leave; and whether he will take steps to remedy the hardship to officers of this pecuniary loss.
§ Mr. LawsonAn officer cannot qualify for Class A release benefits before the opening date for the release of his group. In cases where that date is deferred he becomes liable, with all others, to serve on until the new date, and if he is permitted to leave prematurely he must, in fairness to others, be dealt with under the normal rules relating to premature release.
Lieut.-Commander Clark Hutchisonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the release of all British other ranks, who are in Group 23 and later groups and who are serving in 81 West African Divisional Signals, India Command, has been postponed indefinitely; and whether he will make a statement on this subject.
§ Mr. Carsonasked the Secretary of State for War why all release, repatriation, L.I.L.O.P. and L.I.A.P. schemes have been stopped for British troops serving 362W with West African units in India and S.E.A.C.
§ Mr. Astorasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a statement to the House about the rate of repatriation of West African Forces now stationed in S.E.A.C.
§ Major Gatesasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the order issued by the Divisional Commander, 81 (West African) Divisional Signals, India Command, announcing that he has found it necessary to cancel the release of all age and service groups above Group 22, and to cancel all future repatriation and all forms of leave to countries outside India; and whether arrangements have been made for replacements to be sent which will enable the divisional commander to rescind the above order immediately.
§ Mr. LawsonI would refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Horncastle (Commander Maitland) on Tuesday last.
§ Professor Gruffyddasked the Secretary of State for War whether Army officers who are accepted for service in the Army Education Corps will have their release under Scheme B delayed thereby.
§ Mr. LawsonAs regards officers of the Corps I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Northern Dorset (Lieut.-Col. Byers) on 30th October. Officers who accept service with or transfer to the Army Educational Corps are treated similarly for this purpose.
§ Mr. Lipsonasked the Secretary of State for War why men in Groups 19 and 20 who were due for release between 22nd October and 11th November still remain in Norway; why the undertaking given that they would be brought home for discharge has not been kept; and when they will be brought to this country.
§ Mr. LawsonThe vessel allocated to this duty developed engine trouble. Emergency measures were applied at once, and some 450 men have already returned. The remainder in Groups 19 and 20 were due to be picked up in diverted ships yesterday, and all arrears will have been made up within a day or two.
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§ Major Wiseasked the Secretary of State for War if it will be possible to arrange that all soldiers who are at present serving overseas and due for release in Group 24 shall arrive in this country in time for Christmas leave.
§ Mr. LawsonNo, Sir. The closing date for the release of this group, as recently announced, is 9th January, 1946, and transport has been arranged on that basis.
§ Mrs. Middletonasked the Secretary of State for War how many officers and men serving in the India Command have been granted Class B releases in the months of August, September and October, respectively.
§ Mr. LawsonI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 6th November, to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for Pudsey and Otley (Colonel Stoddart-Scott) in which I stated that no separate figures were available for Class B releases from each command.
§ Mr. J. McKayasked the Secretary of State for War why men in the Forces, in many cases, are not receiving their disembarkation leave before being released under Class A; and where this occurs, are such men entitled to additional payment as recompense for the loss of disembarkation leave.
§ Mr. LawsonI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 16th October to the hon. Members for Ipswich (Mr. Stokes), Isle of Ely (Major Legge-Bourke), and Walsall (Major Wells).
§ Mr. J. McKayasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that at the demobilisation and repatriation centre in Delhi some men have been informed that the instructions are that men in Groups 24 and 25 have not to go on repatriation; and if he will make a statement on this matter, in view of the fact that men who embarked at the same time as others in Group 24 are not getting disembarkation leave but the men in the higher groups are now on their way home from Delhi.
§ Mr. LawsonI am not aware of the instructions referred to in the first part of the Question; on the contrary, instructions were recently issued that men were to be sent home when due for repatriation even if not immediately due for Class A release. But, owing to the num-364W bers now returning for the various types of release and for repatriation, some delay may be unavoidable on occasion owing to insufficient shipping. As regards disembarkation leave I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer to his other question on that point today.
§ Mr. Garry Allighanasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that men brought back from the B.A.O.R. for release in Class C are retained in the holding company in this country for more than a month before release; and whether he will see that delay is reduced to the minimum.
§ Mr. LawsonMen reverted to the home establishment on compassionate grounds are not necessarily released in Class C. Compassionate leave and posting in the United Kingdom may meet the case. The question of release is decided after arrival, in most cases while the man is on disembarkation leave.
§ Mr. Garry Allighanasked the Secretary of State for War why men being de mobilised during the winter months are issued with a thin raincoat, which involves finding the money and coupons with which to secure an overcoat on return to civilian life.
§ Mr. LawsonMen are at present provided with a very good outfit for general use. Variation of the outfit at different times of the year would be impracticable in present circumstances.
§ Brigadier Lowasked the Secretary of State for War whether a N.C.O. who signed a six years engagement in 1941 can make himself eligible for a Class A demobilisation.
§ Mr. LawsonNo, Sir, not until his engagement has expired.
§ Brigadier Lowasked the Secretary of State for War why, whereas he authorises compassionate release in the case of the son of a man who is carrying on a small business as is now certified as unable to carry it on properly owing to his illness he does not authorise compassionate release of a son-in-law in the same circumstances now reported to him as ill, even though two sons of the same man have given their lives during the war, and the elder of them, had he lived, would by now have been released in Class A.
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§ Mr. LawsonOne of the conditions of release in the case of one-man businesses is that the applicant must be personally and financially interested in the business and that his presence is essential to save the business. If these and the other relevant conditions are fulfilled a son-in-law would be eligible for consideration for release. If the hon. and gallant Member has a particular case in mind I will consider it on receipt of details.