§ Mr. Hoggasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the advantages enjoyed by members of the Navy and Air Force in respect of sick leave, plaster leave and short passes when in hospital and whether he will see that military personnel are given, the same advantages at least where they are in the same hospital as members of the other Services.
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§ Sir J. GriggExperience shows that a soldier becomes fit for duty more quickly by a stay in an Army Convalescent Depot, where he is constantly under expert supervision, than by the grant of sick leave. A soldier in hospital is, however, given privilege leave under the normal rules if the hospital authorities are satisfied that he is fit to go on leave. Hitherto he has not been given leave on short pass for 48 hours, but I am arranging that in future such leave may be allowed at the discretion of the hospital authorities. I understand that the Navy and the Air Force do not provide convalescent depots for their personnel to the same extent as the Army.