§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)asked the Secretary of State for War, Who is the head permanent official responsible for submitting to the Secretary of State for War the number of men of whom in his responsible opinion the British Army should in the coming financial year consist; whether such official did submit such a formal opinion before the present Estimates were finally prepared; and, whether such opinion can be made public; and, if not, whether a distinct and authoritative record of such opinion is annually preserved at the War Office, as also a formal record of the fact whether such opinion was overruled or approved by the Secretary of State, in such manner as to afford conclusive evidence of the official to whom responsibility would attach in case the actual number should prove inadequate to the requirements of the country?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)No change has been made in this matter by the recent re-organization. The establishment of the Army for each financial year is submitted by the Commander-in-Chief to the Secretary of State. It is customary for the Commander-in-Chief to submit personally in the autumn of each year his views as to the establishment for the coming year, and subsequently the details are worked out and presented to the Secretary of State. No permanent Civil official has any responsibility whatever in this submission. As soon as this establishment has been submitted to the Secretary of State, it is considered by him with such advice as he may think necessary, and generally in consultation with his military advisers. But I wish to say most emphatically that for the action taken upon the establishment so submitted by the Commander-in-Chief the Secretary of State is solely and absolutely responsible. The opinions which I have described were submitted to me 1031 in the usual way, and at the usual time this year; and I consequently accept full and entire responsibility for the Estimates presented to Parliament. Official Minutes prepared for the assistance of a Minister are confidential Papers, and have never yet been made public. I should certainly not desire to commence that practice, and mainly on the ground that to do so would immediately minimize the responsibility of the Secretary of State. The official Papers show clearly what establishments were proposed to the Secretary of State upon the preparation of the Estimates.