§ MR. F. S. POWELL (Wigan)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is a fact that the greater number of or all the Volunteers of Liverpool are un provided with great coats, owing to the inadequate amount of the Capitation Grant; whether two of the Volunteers who were kept under arms during many hours of heavy rain on the occasion of Her Majesty's recent visit to Liverpool, have since died from the effects of such exposure without proper clothing; and, whether the Government intend to propose such an increase of the grant as will supply the Volunteers with sufficient means to provide against the recurrence of so lamentable an event?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN)&c.) (Stirling,I am informed that it is a fact that the greater number of the Volunteers in Liverpool are without great-coats, and I regret to hear that the deaths of two Volunteers are said to be due to exposure to inclement weather during Her Majesty's visit. As regards the capitation grant, I must refer the hon. Member to the reply I made on the 11th instant to a Question of the hon. and learned Member for North-East Lanarkshire.