§ Mr. Mitchisonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that in some cases there have been delays of more than a year in paying postwar credits and gratuities to men discharged from the N.F.S. through the regional headquarters at Nottingham; what is the reason for the difference in procedure as regards such payments between that headquarters and the regional headquarters at Birmingham; and when the men who were discharged at Kettering at the end of April may expect to receive their postwar credits and gratuities.
§ Mr. EdeAuthority to commence the payment of Civil Defence gratuities and postwar credits was given last September, 149W and, as I have previously explained to the House, a considerable amount of work has been involved in National Fire Service cases in checking the particulars of service by reference to the former Fire Brigades' records. While the general procedure for setting up entitlement forms is the same in all Regions, such differences as there may be in the detailed local arrangements arise from differences in local circumstances. I understand that members of the Service who have been discharged in the North Midland Region will, with few exceptions, have received their entitlement forms within the next three or four weeks.