HC Deb 28 June 1880 vol 253 c959
MAJOR O'BEIRNE

asked the Secretary of State for War, If he would explain why the Commander in Chief of the Forces has been exempt from the rule limiting the tenure of Staff Appointments to a period of five years, in view of the fact that his appointment as a General Officer on the Staff of the Army dates from the 15th July 1856?

MR. CHILDERS

In reply to the hon. and gallant Member, I have to state that when, in 1860, the late Lord Herbert brought the Headquarter Staff under the five years' rule, he exempted the Commander in Chief from its operation. This exception has been continued in all later Regulations, and is now embodied in Article 151 of the Royal Warrant of May, 1878.