§ 96. Mr. Doddsasked the Secretary of State for War why Service men posted from Hong Kong who have left their families behind in Hong Kong have been deprived of the special Hong Kong allowance; and if he will take steps to remedy this.
§ Mr. HeadUnless there is a prospect of officers and other ranks who have been posted from Hong Kong to Korea being re-united with their families either at Hong Kong or another station abroad within six months, families are conveyed home to the United Kingdom at public expense in order that accommodation may be freed to enable other families to join their husbands at present serving in Hong Kong.
As the tour of duty in Korea is more than six months this rule has been applied and families who remain in Hong Kong after the offer of a passage home do so of their own choice and cease to draw local overseas allowances. The families are made fully aware of the conditions regarding passages and allowances if they should elect to stay in Hong Kong. I am not prepared to modify this rule.