MR. EGERTON ALLEN (Pembroke, &c.)In the absence of my hon. Friend the Member for Mid Lanark, I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he was aware that the Director General of Military Education publishes annually a Report giving the examination papers for the Staff College examination in order to show candidates the nature of the examination; whether the mathematical papers set at the recent examination were considerably harder than any of those contained in the Reports of the last five years; whether he was aware that all candidates must obtain at least half marks in mathematics to enable them to qualify for a vacancy; and whether steps would be taken to prevent candidates being disqualified in consequence of the change in the nature of the examination, and especially those candidates who have qualified in mathematics on previous occasions?
§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)Before the right hon. Gentleman answers that question I should like to know if it is the practice to publish the names of the examiners, and is there any valid reason for not doing so?
§ * THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN, Stirling, &c.)I answered a question on this subject a short time ago, and explained that there was a new examiner on this occasion, but no intentional alteration was made in the nature of the examination. I quite think that there should be a reasonable continuity in the standard of these examinations, and I will see how this can be best secured. I also think that the paper in question, though within the scope of the examination, may perhaps have been abnormally severe, and I will see that this is allowed for in the number of marks required for qualification.