§ Order of the Day for the Third Reading read.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR (LORD DE L'ISLE AND DUDLEY)My Lords, in moving the Third Reading of this Bill, I rise, in accordance with an obligation owing to the noble Lord, Lord Ogmore, to say a word about the new clause after Clause 12 and about the words which were added to the Second Schedule. Lord Ogmore raised a question about the advisability or otherwise of removing the definition of "auxiliary forces" and substituting "the Territorial Army." The fact is that previously "auxiliary forces" meant the Territorial Army and volunteers. Now, my Lords, volunteer forces were raised under a series of Acts, ending in 1908; and, apart from the Isle of Man volunteers, there were no more volunteers after that date, after April 1, 1908. The Isle of Man volunteers were disbanded in 1922. New forces of volunteers cannot be raised without further legislation. Therefore we are 392 merely, perhaps rather belatedly, giving effect to a state of affairs which has existed for some thirty years.
The noble Lord also referred to the Home Guard. The Home Guard are not really affected by the Amendment. We are not in any way affecting anything that may be done in the future. Any alteration, or the raising of any other volunteers, will have to be done by further legislation, involving a fresh Amendment to the Army (Annual) Act. Therefore, in moving the Amendment, which the House was good enough to accept, we were doing nothing to destroy any future opportunities but were merely declaring a state of affairs which had already existed for some time. I beg to move that the Bill be now read a third time.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 3a.—(Lord De L'Isle and Dudley.)
§ LORD OGMOREMy Lords, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for the explanation that he has given to the House. He will, of course, understand that the Amendment was put down for the first time on Committee stage, and that we had not had any opportunity of looking into it. It was simply a point that occurred to me as being worthy of attention and, as I say, I am very grateful to the noble Lord for having given the House the explanation which he has given this afternoon.
§ On Question, Bill read 3a, with the Amendments, and passed, and returned to the Commons.
§ House adjourned at twelve minutes past four o'clock.