§ Lieut.-Colonel Liptonasked the Secretary of State for War what financial assistance will be given for visits to war graves in Italy.
§ Mr. ShinwellRelatives who wish to make these visits should not be deterred from applying if they feel they are unable to meet the full cost of the journey. In genuine necessitous cases, some assistance will be given in this respect. Arrangements for visits to war graves are made by five voluntary bodies, who in cases of need, make grants towards the expenses of a single visit by two relatives. The organisations are reimbursed from public funds to the extent of seven-eighths of their direct expenditure. The organisations which have been good 251W enough to undertake the responsibility for running this scheme are:—
The British Legion, 49, Pall Mall, London, S.W.1.
The Church Army, 55, Bryanston Street, London, W.1.
The Church of Scotland Committee on Hut and Canteen Work for His Majesty's Forces, 121, George Street, Edinburgh.
The Salvation Army. War Graves Visitation Department, William Booth Memorial College, Denmark Hill, London, S.E.5.
The Y.M.C.A.,
- 112, Great Russell Street, London, W.C.1.
- 10, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh.
- 22, Howard Street, Belfast.
- 53, Park Place, Cardiff.
The scheme, which originally covered visits to war graves in France, Belgium and Holland, has now, as I announced in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for St. Albans (Mr. Dumpleton) on 29th March, been extended to Italy. Details of the arrangements made by the British Legion for visits to war graves in Italy by air were given in that reply. The other four voluntary organisations have completed their plans for sending visitors to all cemeteries in Italy by surface route and to cemeteries in Sicily by air. They are now ready to receive and deal with applications.