§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked the Secretary of State for War whether; in view of the recent reduction by 3s. 6d. per week of the ration allowance of soldiers employed on the administrative staff of the Southern Command at Salisbury, any efforts have been made to obtain from the said command copies of the correspondence in 1901 upon which the decision to grant such allowance was founded; and, if not, whether he will cause such copies to be furnished and thereafter state what change has since taken place in the then existing conditions to justify the recent reduction?
§ Mr. HAROLD BAKERThere is nothing to be said beyond what I informed the lion. Member on the 5th November. The case of these soldiers has been very carefully considered on its merits. The reasons assigned in 1901 would not in any way influence the revised rate now given, and it should be borne in mind that that rate merely means the resumption of the ordinary scale, not a reduction from that scale.
§ Mr. C. BATHURSTasked whether any ration allowance beyond 6d. per day is still granted to soldiers serving on the administrative staff at Warwick, Southampton, and other military stations; and, if so, what are the circumstances which differentiate these stations from Salisbury, where such allowance has recently been reduced by 50 per cent.?
§ Mr. HAROLD BAKERThe rate drawn at Southampton is the normal rate, as at Salisbury, where the men live in lodgings. At Warwick there are some clerks living in barrack rooms with no cooking arrangements of any kind and no cook provided by the public. They are thus worse off than if on the lodging list and have to make their own arrangements for getting cooked food. Until better provision for them can be made, an extra rate of allowance is continued.