asked the Secretary of of State for War whether his attention has been called to the expenses necessarily incurred by battalion commanders of the Home Guard, many of whom are poor men; and will he arrange that essential out-of-pocket costs be met by the Government?

Existing instructions already provide for the reimbursement of essential out-of-pocket expenses by Home Guard commanders. If my hon. Friend has any particular item of expenditure in mind, I shall be glad if he will let me know, in order that it may be considered.

Do the Government desire that poor men should be able to have commissions in the Home Guard?

Very definitely.

Thank you.

Will the hon. Member have a word with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to see that these out-of-pocket expenses are not included in the assessment for Income Tax, as is done in the case of the Royal Observer Corps?

I will leave it to the hon. Member himself to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

I cannot convince him.