HC Deb 08 May 1919 vol 115 cc1140-1W
Sir J. BUTCHER

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact that, under Army Order 222 of 1918,time-expired men who would otherwise be eligible for a £20 bounty are deprived of such bounty if they have been made prisoners of war; and when, in view of the hardship of this Order, especially in the case of men who had nearly completed their thirteen years' service at the time of being taken prisoners, he will take steps to rescind such Order?

Mr. FORSTER

The Army Order in question has recently been modified by the issue of instructions to the effect that, provided they were still serving on 18th April, 1918 (before which date they were not affected by the Military Service Acts), prisoners of war have an equal claim to bounty with other soldiers. These instructions will shortly be confirmed in an Army Order.