§ Mr. Errollasked the Minister of War Transport whether he is aware that certain officers of his Department who responded to his appeal, at the end of 1944, to leave the Fighting Services and return to work of greater national importance in the Ministry have thereby suffered financial loss by forfeiting their rights to leave with pay; and whether, to reimburse them, he will take the necessary steps to increase their present rates of pay, to allow them leave with pay from his Department or to recompense them in some other way for the loss referred to.
§ Mr. Barnes:These officers were granted indefinite release from the Army to perform important work in my Department, in which they were employed as permanent civil servants prior to their Army service. In common with all other members of the Forces released out of turn they do not qualify for the special leave privileges granted to those released under the normal demobilisation arrangements. I regret that I cannot regard the circumstances in which, at the instance of my Department, they were granted indefinite release from the Army as justifying any special compensation as suggested by the hon. Member.