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A Chocolate Soldier was a Parliamentary assistant for an opposition front bench spokesman in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom in the early 1970s, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Social Service Trust, which was endowed by the chocolate entrepreneur Joseph Rowntree.〔(''Hansard'', House of Commons Debates, 4 November 1993 ): Tony Newton and Margaret Beckett at Column 598 and Simon Hughes at Column 606 of Volume 231.〕 The scheme was a pilot project to assist the opposition to carry out parliamentary duties and counteract the advantage that government ministers enjoy through briefings from civil servants, and was instigated by the trust's secretary, Pratap Chitnis.〔( ''Hansard'', House of Lords Debates, 9 November 1977 ); see Lord Houghton of Sowerby at Column 204-205 of Volume 387.〕 In 1974, the scheme was given official parliamentary support through the provision of Short Money to opposition parties, announced by Edward Short on 29 July 1974.〔(Short Money ), Standard Note SN/PC/1663, 11 June 2009; see pages 6-7 and footnote 22.〕 The Rowntree Trust made a similar fund available to the opposition in the late 1980s, to assist with travel expenses. This funding ceased in 1992, after the provision of Short Money was expanded to add a travel element.〔(''Hansard'', House of Commons Debates, 4 November 1993 ): Margaret Beckett at Column 601 of Volume 231.〕 ==Chocolate Soldiers== Many Chocolate Soldiers later made a significant contribution in the public sphere. Among the assistants funded by the Rowntree Trust were: *Matthew Oakeshott, assistant to Roy Jenkins〔(''Hansard'', House of Lords Debates, 7 June 2000 ): Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay at Column 1129 of Volume 613.〕 *Archy Kirkwood〔(''The Joseph Rowntree Inheritance, 1904-2004'' ), p.11〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Chocolate Soldier (Parliament)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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