§ MR. HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)asked the Secretary of State for War, If, having regard to the representations he has received as to the difficulties which would be entailed on the Volunteer Force if the capitation grant was made solely dependent on the attainment of an advanced standard in musketry, he has decided to adopt the recommendation of the recent Committee, and give an increased grant of 5s. in respect of those Volunteers who succeed in passing into the second class, without depriving those who are efficient in all other respects of the present grant of 30s.?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)I have given full consideration to the representations made by various deputations from the Volunteer Force on the subject of the Capitation Giant, and I have been specially struck by one point which was urged upon my attention. It was represented that if the whole grant were dependent upon proficiency in musketry, Volunteer corps would sustain a loss in respect of uniform surplied to recruits who turned out very indifferent shots; and it was pointed out that there must always be a certain percentage of every battalion who cannot be brought up to the requisite standards I have, accordingly, obtained the consent of the Treasury to the following arrangements for Infantry Volunteers (the conditions as to the others remain- 543 ing as stated in my Memorandum):—In the first year of a Volunteer's service he will earn the full grant of 35s. on condition that he is efficient, and hits the target 12 times in 60 shots; but in later years he will not earn this grant at all unless he is at least a second-class shot. If, however, he remains efficient in. drill, although not up to the second-class standard of musketry, he will be granted, for not more than two consecutive years, a capitation allowance of 10s. After the two consecutive years all capitation will cease unless the Volunteer becomes a second-class shot.