108. Mr. Vaneasked the Secretary of State for War when sufficient accommodation will be made available so that the scheme under which the wives of all ranks of the British Military Mission to Greece can join their husbands in Greece can be implemented.
§ Mr. LawsonUp to date 15 applications for passages to Greece for the families of officers and other ranks of the British Military Mission have been approved and seven of these families have already sailed. I cannot say when accommodation will be available for all families of the British Military Mission, but no application for a passage would be forwarded to the War Office unless the Command concerned were satisfied that suitable accommodation is available. I should point out that transport as well as accommodation is a limiting factor.
§ Mr. Walker-Smithasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make arrangements for the wives and families of officers and other ranks stationed in Greece to join them there.
§ Mr. LawsonIt is the general rule under the present scheme that only the families of those men who have at least a further period of 12 months still to serve in the station concerned should be allowed to join them. As it is not expected that this condition will apply in the case of those serving in Greece except for members of the British Military Mission, it has been decided that general permission for 297W families to go to Greece cannot be given. As regards passages for the families of officers and other ranks of the British Military Mission I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Westmorland.