§ 139. Mr. Prittasked the Minister of Defence whether he will reconsider the provision in the new release regulations which deprives men conscripted on or after 1st January, 1947, of an issue of civilian clothing, seeing that after two years' service many of them will be unable to wear the clothing they had when called up and will have no means of purchasing new clothes.
§ Mr. AlexanderAs I have previously informed the House, men called up in 1947 and 1948 will, on release, receive a supplementary allowance of 60 clothing coupons. They are also allowed to retain certain articles of Service clothing and, if necessary, to purchase cheaply a suit of battledress and a Service greatcoat.
The issue of civilian clothing was designed as part of the Age and Service release scheme for men who had served for long periods during the war: there is no similar justification for continuing it for men called up for fixed, and in general much shorter, periods in peacetime. The issue of civilian clothing to National Service men imposes a heavy cost and heavy administrative commitment on the Services. 1 regret therefore that I cannot vary the decision taken and announced in January, 1947, to discontinue the issue of clothing on release to men called up in 1947 and subsequently.