§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his reply dated 1 December, Official Report, c. 597–98, concerning the issue of food to infantry
Allowance Current Rate Applicability (1) Retail Messing Allowance £2.10 per day (in UK) Where single and married unaccompanied personnel are in public accommodation (not messes) with self-catering facilities. (2) Meals Out Allowance £2.11 per day (in UK) Where meals are regularly purchased from commercial sources. (3) Special Messing Allowance Actual Costs—each case considered on its merits Where no mess and self-catering facilities exist and meals have to be taken in restaurants—in exceptional circumstances. All allowances apply to officers as well as soldiers.
(b) The number and grades of military catering staff employed in messes in infantry battalions is as follows:
Trade/Employment WO SSGT SGT CPL LCPL PTE TOTAL (1) Cooks (ACC) 1 3 4 6 *6 20 (2) Mess Stewards 2 3 5 (3) Officers' Mess Supervisor 1 1 (4) Sergeants' Mess Caterer 1 1 * Increased to 7 in a Type A Battalion.