§ Mr. Glenvil Hallasked the Secretary of State for War whether the Government add the usual allowance of 17s. a week to the obligatory allotment made by a soldier to his wife in cases where, prior to enlistment, such soldier was making her a weekly payment of £1 under a court order?
§ Captain MargessonFamily allowance is not payable in such a case. Where a wife has a court order against her husband, he is required to contribute from his pay towards her support so much of the amount prescribed in the order as is possible within the limits laid down in Section 145 (2) of the Army Act, and, if this amount is less than that prescribed in the order (or such less amount as she may have previously agreed to accept), an addition is given to her in the form of a supplementary allowance from Army Funds, provided that the total payment does not exceed the amount which she would have received by way of allowance and qualifying allotment from the soldier's pay if she had not been separated from him.
§ Mr. Lawsonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make arrangements with the Assistance Board to disregard a soldier's proficiency pay as household income if the soldier should allot this pay to his dependants?
§ Captain MargessonAs I explained to my hon. Friend in answer to a Question last Tuesday, a soldier is required to allot part of his pay towards 377W a dependant's allowance, and may also make a voluntary allotment as a clear addition to that allowance. For this purpose, there is no reason to distinguish between proficiency pay and other pay. If my hon. Friend has in mind the assessment of household income for the purpose of an allowance granted by the Assistance Board, that is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service.