§ Mr. A. V. ALEXANDERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether members of the Royal Fleet Reserve, who receive 6d. per day, have to keep up their uniform, etc., on that allowance; whether he is aware that some of the Royal Fleet Reserve who are unemployed have had to seek Poor Law relief; that certain Poor Law authorities are taking into account the reserve pay of these men in fixing the amount of relief; and what steps ho proposes to take to secure that these reservists are not prevented from keeping up their outfits owing to the deductions from relief allowances made by Poor Law authorities?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLThe 6d. a day paid to Royal Fleet Reserve men, Class B, is the "retainer," and is not for the purpose of maintaining their uniform. When men enrol in Class B of the Reserve, they either receive a free Royal Fleet Reserve kit, or, if already in possession of a kit, they receive a clothing allowance in lieu when they come up for drill to make good deficiencies. I have no information as regards the statements made in the second and third parts of the question. As regards the last part, there is no reason to think that the men are prevented from maintaining their kits by any action of the Poor Law authorities.