§ Mr. Astorasked the Secretary of State for War what was the authority for the Order Ref I-5/88 to all officers and other ranks, R.A.S.C./E.F.I., E.N.S.A. India and S.E.A.C on the subject of demobilisation; whether these statements were issued with the Government's authority; and whether he will take steps to see that a recurrence of this does not occur in the same command.
§ Mr. LawsonThe communication to which the hon. Member refers was issued by the local N.A.A.F.I./E.N.S.A. head-quarters, and without Government authority. It was not an order, but an invitation to R.A.S.C./E.F.I. personnel to consider voluntarily deferring their release. The wording of the communication 433W was, however, liable to give a misleading impression of conditions in civilian life in this country and I am taking steps to ensure that this is avoided in any future communications of this sort.