asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will arrange that men serving in His Majesty's Forces when given leave shall be granted free travelling passes, and especially when going on Christmas leave; and whether he will make an announcement well in advance of the Christmas period and thus relieve the men and their families of the fear that the men will not be able to travel home because they cannot pay the fares for long distances?

As I have already announced, free warrants will be given for travelling on leave twice a year, including embarkation leave. This concession will be available for those who are given leave at Christmas.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to cause this announcement to be published in battalion and other unit orders, as a large number of non-commissioned officers and men are quite unaware that this concession has been announced and are still writing to hon. Members about it by every post?

I hope that this additional publicity will be all that is required. My experience is that when a right is conferred it generally becomes known.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not recognise that many of these men do not receive or read newspapers. Surely an announcement in battalion orders might be made?

If that ignorance of the order does exist, I will take what steps I can to deal with the matter.

Will the right hon. Gentleman also say what period of service must be put in before a soldier becomes entitled to the concession?

Yes, Sir.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the concession he has already announced does not cover the many hard cases that I have put before him, and is he further aware that in many cases men did get more than one leave, excluding embarkation leave, and that some of them have been sent as far as from London to Scotland and from Scotland to London, and cannot afford the big railway fare?

The concession was received with great pleasure by the House and the army when I made it. There are two free leaves to any part of the United Kingdom.