HC Deb 14 June 1945 vol 411 c1822W
Sir I. Albery

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are now made for home leave for other ranks serving in the Burma area.

Sir J. Grigg

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in the course of the Debate on Friday.

Major V. Adams

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is now possible to improve the allotment of home leave to soldiers serving in Italy and the Middle East; and whether it will be possible to enable the wives of married soldiers in Italy to join their husbands.

Sir J. Grigg

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the statement I made in the Debate on 8th June. The answer to the second part of the Question is, "I am afraid not." I should like to take this opportunity of correcting an error which slipped into my statement owing to a misreading of my notes. In explaining that men in the first 26 release groups would not in general be sent to the Far East, I said that these groups would automatically include men of 40 and over who had more than 2½ years' service. As reference to the "Race Card" will show, I should have said 3½ years. I am very sorry for this mistake and for any misunderstanding it may have caused. The error was corrected in the accounts of my speech sent to the Forces newspapers.