asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state the basis on which permits are granted to the wives of serving officers and men to visit their husbands in the Near East?

Permits are not granted for visits. Families of officers and men may, however, be permitted to rejoin them at these stations if they were resident there before the war and have homes awaiting them.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that certain wives of officers have received permits to go to the Near East, while the wives of certain other officers are not permitted to go there? Is he aware that those who have been permitted to go are largely relatives of some Cabinet Ministers, but not of the right hon. Gentleman?

Permits have been granted by the War Office only in one or two cases of officers exercising high commands where there are social duties attaching to the officer's appointment. In other cases they have got out there without any permission whatsoever from the War Office and all possible steps will be taken to prevent any recurrence.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say how the wives of certain officers, some of Members of Parliament, were able to get out there without permits and will he make sure that there shall be no discrimination between wives of officers unattached to politics and wives of officers who are?

I fully realise the hon. Gentleman's feelings and I must say that I share them myself. The trouble is that up to now it has not been possible in these particular countries for the War Office to maintain control over all people going into the country. No permission was given by the War Office, but means were found to get into the country elsewhere, and I am now discussing with other Departments the possibility of stopping that sort of practice in future.