§ Mr. Lipsonasked the Secretary of State for War if men serving with the M.E.F. are given equal facilities with men in the B.L.A. to come home and give evidence in divorce cases when this is necessary.
§ Sir J. GriggThe Commander-in-Chief in any theatre has complete discretion to grant compassionate leave. I am aware that in a few cases men in the British Liberation Army have been granted leave for a few days to appear in divorce cases in Scottish courts. I understand that this saves a lengthy alternative procedure which is peculiar to Scotland. The procedure for England and Wales is much simpler. Even in Scottish cases Commanders-in-Chief in more distant theatres generally do not consider that the advantages of personal appearance where there are no other special circumstances justify the long absence from duty involved in a journey from those theatres and this view seems to me a reasonable one.