§ Colonel RAWSONasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether his attention has been called to the hardships entailed on tradesmen who are being called up for service, and to whom the allowances from the Civil Liabilities Grant is insufficient; and whether he will take steps to provide for the increase of the Civil Liabilities Grant from its present limit of £104, so as to enable retail tradesmen to close their shops temporarily and pay rent, taxes, etc., while on military service, and assure them a business to return to after the War and security against their creditors?
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The experience of the Military Service (Civil Liabilities) Committee, who have now dealt with nearly 250,000 applications, indicates that the present limit is rarely insufficient to meet cases of serious hardship among tradesmen called up for military service. Having regard to the provisions of Section 2 (1) (b) of the Military Service Act, 1916, and to the protection afforded by the Courts (Emergency Powers) Acts, I do not think it is necessary that the maximum amount of the Grants should be increased.