§ 151. Mr. Roland Robinsonasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that soldiers stationed long distances from their homes are put at a disadvantage by the limitation of Christmas leave to four days, as in many cases two days out of the four are taken up in travelling; and whether he will consider allowing extra travelling time for such men in order that they may spend as much of their leave in their homes as possible.
§ Mr. M. StewartSoldiers are allowed a reasonable scale of privilege leave and in order that those stationed in the United Kingdom can spend their leave at home, it is permissible for up to two days' travelling time to be added to periods of privilege leave. Leave at public holidays is an indulgence extra to the scale of privilege leave and it is not practicable to extend to it the concession regarding travelling time. Subject to the interests of the Service, however, there is nothing to prevent a soldier adding any privilege leave for which he is eligible to the leave at public holidays and so enjoying the travelling time concession. It is, in fact, the policy of my Department to encourage this practice in order to reduce travel at peak periods.