§ Lieut.-Commander Tufnellasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the present system of reducing the State allowance to the mother when her soldier son obtains proficiency pay is strongly resented by serving soldiers; and whether, seeing that if such a son had been married a portion of the increase in the proficiency pay would have been added to the wife's pay yet cannot be added to his widowed mother's allowance, he will investigate the whole practice, with a view to making a change?
§ Mr. EdenThe dependants' allowance scheme is a war-time measure designed with reference to the family circumstances to avoid hardship by providing for the dependant a fixed amount related to the net amount which the man contributed towards the support of the dependant before he joined up, but which he is unable to continue on joining the Service. Towards this amount the soldier is required to contribute a sum appropriate to his rate of pay, and it is in accordance with the principles underlying the scheme that, when his rate of pay increases, the soldier should contribute a greater proportion of the amount provided for the dependant. The payment of family allowance in respect of a soldier's wife is governed by different considerations. It is primarily a peace time emolument of the soldier in the nature of an addition to his pay, and family circumstances or the amount of the man's previous contribution do not enter into the question.