§ Mr. S. Marshallasked the Secretary of State for War if he is satisfied that there is a sufficiency of overcoats at all demobilisation centres to supply all men who ask for an overcoat to receive one in preference to mackintoshes which they do not wish to have.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe approved outfit for the Service man on release includes a raincoat, not an overcoat. A limited number of overcoats was, however, provided and offered as an alternative to the raincoat, over which supply difficulties arose owing to shortage of material. A few thousand overcoats only are left and I regret that it will not be possible to supply all men who ask for them in preference to raincoats. The raincoat has throughout the scheme been in much greater demand than the overcoat.