§ SIR WALTER BARTTELOT (Sussex, N.W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will give us a day, after we have received the evidence of Lord Wantage's Committee, so as to discuss that most important Report and its bearing on the efficiency of the 640 Home Army? And I would suggest that the discussion should be taken on the Reserve Vote. I think I may fairly state that if the right hon. Gentleman will kindly give us a day it will greatly shorten the discussion.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURAs my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, the question of the Report of the Wantage Committee has not been excluded from the discussion on the Army Estimates so far as that has taken place. I quite admit that it is inconvenient for the House to have to discuss a Report without having the evidence on which that Report is based. Therefore, if it is the general wish of the House that the discussion should take place at some later stage of the Army Estimates, certainly the Government would view such an arrangement with favour. I believe it can be done by general consent of the House. I think procedure of precisely the same character has been taken on the Navy Estimates as well as the Army Estimates. With the general consent of the House the arrangement of my hon. and gallant Friend can be carried out. I hope, if it is carried out, that the House will bear in mind the very serious state we are in with regard to Supply, and will curtail the discussion on the Army Estimates. I do not wish to reiterate, but we are very much behind owing to the amount of time which was taken up by Private Bills in the course of the week; and, unless we make more rapid progress than we have done hitherto upon Supply, I am afraid we shall have to ask for additional time.