Sir J. DAVIDSONasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that the 1946W United Services Fund has been obliged to curtail the grants hitherto made to the joint United Services Fund and the S.S.F.A. committees, which have been dealing with relief to widows and orphans and the dependants of ex-service men; whether, in the circumstances, some part of the large amount still due to the United Services Fund from the profits made by the canteens during the War can at once be paid over to the United Services Fund; and, if not, whether a public inquiry will be held into the causes of the delay in dealing with the money which is the property of ex-service men?
§ Lieut.-Colonel STANLEYI have been asked to answer this question. In regard to the first part, I have no official information, but I have been given to understand that certain grants have been curtailed. In regard to the last part, as I informed the hon. Member for Portsmouth Central (Sir T. Bramsdon) on 11th May, I hope to be in a position to make a statement on the subject shortly. In the meantime I do not think any good purpose would be served by the institution of a public inquiry.