§ MR. HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)asked the Secretary of State for War, What is the reason for the distinction in the rank of the senior non-commissioned officers in battalions of the Regular Army, the Militia, and the Volunteers; and, if, having regard to the great and continuous responsibility devolving upon those deserving soldiers who are attached as Sergeant Instructors to Volunteer Corps, the senior of them could be accorded either warrant rank or substantive rank, as in the Standing Army and Militia?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (MR. W. H. SMITH) (Strand, Westminster)The reason for the distinction is that the duties required of the senior non-commissioned officers of the permanent staff of Volunteer Corps are less than those required in the Regular Army and Militia. I must refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given by my Predecessor on March 19 last, in which he fully explained the case. I see no grounds for re-opening the question.