§ Major GLYNasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is aware that a letter has been sent to the headquarters of the Young Men's Christian Association demanding that 24 huts of that organisation in various camps and commands in the United Kingdom should be completely closed down; whether it is the intention of the War Office to prohibit any philanthropic institution to have establishments in military camps and stations, in spite of the fact that competition with the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes have been held unobjectionable provided similar contributions to sports funds, etc., were made by such organisations as by the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes;
(2) whether it is his intention to prohibit any competition with the establishments of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes in any military camp or station; whether it is considered to be in the best interests of the Army that the work of the Young Men's Christian Association should cease; whether a letter in the following terms was issued with the approval of the Army Council: In view of the extra expenses to which the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes had been put to, one of their conditions for serving Territorial camps is that no philanthropic institution or contractor should be allowed to compete within any camp in which the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes are operating; and whether the opinion of Army commanders has been asked?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe large number of philanthropic institutions which sprang up during the War on War Department land is now quite out of proportion to the requirements of the existing peace establishment of the Army, and orders have accordingly been given that 48 out of 155 such institutions must be closed by 30th June next. I understand that 27 huts out of 77 belonging to the Young Men's Christian Association are affected by the order. Before the instructions were issued the recommendations of General Officers Commanding-in-Chief were obtained. A conference on the subject was also held at the War 51W Office in October last, which was attended by representatives of all the philanthropic bodies concerned, and at which the views of the Army Council, respecting the desirability for closing down those institutions which might prove to be superfluous, were clearly explained. There is no intention of interfering with the religious and social work of these bodies, the value of which is thoroughly appreciated, but I think it will be readily realised that it is impracticable from every point of view to allow a large number of organisations in military camps, etc., to cater for soldiers in opposition to the authorised regimental institutes.