§ 21. Commander Purseyasked the Secretary of State for War if he will arrange for the next annual report and accounts of the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation, due for presentation to the House of Commons in August, to be published by the Stationery Office as a printed Parliamentary Paper, as it was in earlier years, for sale to the public and to be available in the Vote Office.
§ Mr. StracheyThe practice of issuing annually the report and accounts of the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation as a Command Paper, on sale to the public, was discontinued after 1919. As regards the report and accounts for 1949, which are expected to be published about the end of August next, I have no doubt that the Corporation would be prepared to increase the number of copies furnished to the Library of this House.
§ 22. Commander Purseyasked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the capital of the Soldiers' Effects Fund; the amount expended in the last year; the balance of income unexpended; the number of beneficiaries, showing widows and 130W orphans, respectively; and the average annual grant to these two classes.
§ Mr. StracheyThe last published account of the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation, that for the year 1948, of which copies have now been placed in the Vote Office, shows that on 31st December, 1948, the market value of the securities forming the Soldiers' Effects Fund was £291,615. The amount expended from that fund in the year 1948 was £7,892 19s. 9d., and the balance of income unexpended was £2,036 12s. 1d. The report for that year shows that 61 widows and 336 children were in receipt of weekly allowances from that fund on 31st December, 1948. Grants, as distinct from weekly allowances, are not paid annually but to meet special circumstances. The amount spent from the Soldiers' Effects Fund in such grants is not separately shown in the account, but I understand that 235 widows and orphans received a total of £1,738.
§ 23. Commander Purseyasked the Secretary of State for War the number of officers' daughters whose education fees are paid by the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation; the number of other ranks' daughters of the Roman Catholic and Church of England faith, respectively; the average amount in each category; and the number accommodated in the Royal Victoria Patriotic School, Hatfield, and their religious faith.
§ Mr. StracheyThe last published report and accounts, for the year 1948, show that in that year the number of orphan girls accommodated in the Royal Victoria Patriotic School was 63. I understand that no education fees were paid in respect of officers' daughters; that grants were made in favour of 16 Roman Catholic girls being educated at convents and elsewhere and three Church of England girls not at the School. Such grants vary, according to need, from about £10 to about £40 a year. Religious instruction in the School is based on the teaching of the Church of England.