§ MR. SEXTONasked the Secretary of State for War, Whether the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Royal Hospitals at Chelsea and Kilmainham, the Royal Military Asylum at Chelsea, and the Royal Hibernian Military School, Dublin, presided over by Lord Morley, is yet ready to be laid on the Table of the House; whether it has been for nearly a year in the hands of the Secretary of State for War; whether, since its production was promised early this Session by his predecessor in office, ho will state for the information of the House what recommendations contained in the Report have been accepted and adopted by the War Office authorities; and, whether there is any cause for the unusual delay which has taken place in the presentation of the Report?
§ SIR ARTHUR HAYTERIn the unavoidable absence of the Secretary of State for War on duty, I shall be happy to answer the Question put by the hon. Member for Sligo. The Report alluded to in his Question is that of a Departmental Committee, and for the information of the Secretary of State. It was not in his hands until nearly the end of last year. The Report dealt with several important Institutions, enumerated in the hon. Member's Question, and the first step which had to be taken was to consult the Governing Bodies and other authorities of the Institutions concerned on the recommendations of the Committee which affected them, and also to have the financial and other bearings of the Report carefully examined in the Department. It would not be convenient to make the Report public until some decisions had been arrived at on the principal recommendations of the Committee. The Secretary of State hopes to be in a position very shortly to come to these decisions, and there will then be no unnecessary delay in presenting the Report to Parliament.