§ Major GLYNasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the present difficulty in providing passages to and from India during certain months 2116W of the year, it will be possible to arrange the leave of a proportion of officers and the passages of officers and non-commissioned officers to join their units either at home or in India, in outward and homeward steamers during the period when the congestion is not so marked?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe question of granting leave to officers serving in India is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for India, but I understand that leave from India is at present being granted all the year round, and this is likely to Continue for some time, as many officers are entitled to leave which is overdue. In these circumstances officers are granted leave when passages can be procured. As regards the possibility of arranging for passages of officers and non-commissioned officers to join their units during the period when steamers are less congested, such period coincides with the hot weather season, and in the interests of the health of the troops, I regret it is impracticable to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion.