§ Sir G. Jeffreysasked the Secretary of State for War what is the situation as regards the payment of marriage allowance to officers who are prisoners of war; and whether marriage allowance continues to be paid in cases where, as in Hong Kong, an officer and his wife are both prisoners, though in separate prison camps.
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§ Sir J. GriggFamily lodging allowance for officers and family allowance for other ranks continue to be issued to prisoners of war under the same rules as are applicable to serving personnel. Family lodging allowance is issuable where an officer is providing for the maintenance of his family; and, in the absence of any evidence that an officer, whose wife is interned in Hong Kong, is doing so, no allowance would be admissible. If evidence is forthcoming now or later that the officer was contributing to his wife's maintenance, or is subsequently called upon to repay sums expended on his wife's maintenance during internment, the case would at once be re-examined.