§ Mr. GROVESasked the Secretary of State for War the cost of maintaining armies in the following countries for the year 1924: Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the United States?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe figures are as follow: —
which the workmen will be allowed to give evidence: and has he received from the workmen any scheme for the better management of the central tailors' shop?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question on this subject on the 28th May last. The central tailors' shop at Aldershot is being closed in accordance with the decision to discontinue generally the central shops for the repair of clothing and boots which were instituted as an experimental measure in 1922. There is no purpose to be served by holding an inquiry such as the hon. Member suggests; the scheme of garrison shops has been abandoned, not because of any fault in the management of the shops, but because of the want of patronage by the soldiers which made it impossible for the shops to be run without serious loss. Repairs of clothing and boots will in future be 969W carried out by local contracts arranged by each unit; the work will not be done by regimental personnel, and it is not, therefore, possible to retransfer to the Royal Army Service Corps the three men who served in that corps prior to being discharged and taken on as civilians at the Aldershot shop. I may add that it was made clear to all the men that the shop was an experiment and would have to be closed if it proved not to be successful.