§ Mr. Turtonasked the Secretary of State for War what provision is made for married Servicemen with more than three years' service in the Middle East to receive compassionate leave in order that they may return home to start a family.
Miss Wardasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the disquiet and misunderstanding caused in the Middle East by the general order regarding the granting of compassionate leave for men wishing to start a family, he can make a full statement.
§ Mr. Bellengerasked the Secretary of State for War what instructions have been issued by overseas commands to those troops desirous of repatriation to the home forces on the grounds of undertaking marital obligations.
§ Mr. J. Dugdaleasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any statement to make about the Middle East General Order that married men with more than three years' service in the Middle East could obtain compassionate leave on the grounds that they wanted to return home to start a family.
§ Sir J. GriggI have called for a report on this matter. I hope hon. Members will allow me to wait until I receive it before I make any statement. Meantime, I have seen the despatch from "The Times" correspondent in Cairo which does not, however, entirely elucidate766W things. It looks as if the trouble arose in the first instance from the publication as a General Routine Order of a classification of compassionate cases intended solely for guidance and not for promulgation. If this is so I can quite understand why an unmanageable number of applications was received.