§ VISCOUNT THURSOasked Her Majesty's Government what facilities, either free or at concession fares, are granted to married Government servants (other than members of the three Fighting Services) stationed overseas to enable their wives to join them, or to enable one or both parents and their children to be re-united during the children's holidays.
§ VISCOUNT HAILSHAMIn the Home Civil Service (other than in the Commonwealth Relations Office) the family of a married officer serving overseas on a tour of duty of two years or more may travel overseas with the officer at the public688WA expense or join him at any time within six months of the date on which his tour is due to end.
Where the wife has joined her husband overseas but one or more school children between the ages of 8 and 18 have been left in the United Kingdom, a passage may at the public expense be granted, subject to certain conditions, once during the tour to enable the child or children to visit the parents. The most important conditions are that the husband must have been overseas for at least twelve months at the time and have an expectation of a further nine months to serve when the children are due to leave the United Kingdom, and that the visit of the children should be for a period normally not less than 28 days which, except at Easter and Christmas, is to be reckoned exclusive of travelling time. The same conditions generally apply to members of the Armed Forces.
In the Foreign Service and the Commonwealth Relations Office it is expected that a wife will accompany her husband overseas and her fare is paid at public expense. There are somewhat similar arrangements to those described above to enable children to join their parents during an officer's tour abroad.
House adjourned at eight minutes past five o'clock.