Oral Answers to Questions — British Army – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 2 December 1959.
asked the Secretary of State for War for how long Gilgil Camp, Kenya, has been in use; which units have been stationed there; for how long in each case; at approximately what date, and at whose charge, the improvements costing £75,000 were put in hand; why they were not undertaken sooner; why the permanent accommodation at Kahawa is not to be ready before 1961; and how much longer the unit at present at Gilgil will have to stay there.
As this Question is in fact seven questions the Answer must be long and I will, with permission circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
Can the hon. Gentleman at least say whether the recent Press report is correct—it was confirmed in part by a constituent of my own—which stated that a local brewery had provided a dozen tin baths for this camp which were lacking up to then? Was the cost of those baths included in the figure of £75,000? Why should troops have to live on the charity of a brewery?
That is the only question which the hon. Member did not put on the Order Paper. My right hon. Friend dealt with the comment in, I think it was, the Daily Express last week, and he corrected certain errors which did there appertain. Regarding tin baths, the main point is that the unit is fairly well equipped with showers. As the hon. Gentleman will appreciate, and as hon. Members will well know, in that climate a shower is a more convenient method of washing than a bath.
Can the hon. Gentleman say when the showers were installed? Will he look again at my Question on the Order Paper, multiform as it is, when he will find that I did ask on whose charge this expense had been incurred?
Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will await my Written Answer.
Following are the answers. They concerned Gilgil G.1 Camp, which is one of four in the district: