§ Sir H. Webbeasked the Assistant Postmaster-General whether he is aware that demobilised Army officers entitled to gratuities are informed by the Post Office that a minimum period of six weeks must elapse between their completion of the form of application and the receipt of payment; and whether anything will be done to speed up the handling of these applications, in view of the urgent need of many officers for money to restart their homes.
§ Mr. BurkeI assume that the hon. Member has in mind the case of officers who left the Services before the start of the general release scheme and who are required to complete a form of application for gratuity. I am not aware that any information regarding the period between1202W application and payment has been given by the Post Office. It is, however, the case that when the Service Departments announced on the 31th August last that a start could be made with the payment of gratuities in this class of case a specific warning was included that, while payment would proceed as rapidly as possible, it was expected that the process of payment would necessarily occupy some months. Savings Bank Books are issued by the Post Office within a few days of the receipt from the Service Department of the necessary particulars.