MR. BROWN (Shropshire, Wellington)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state the number of officers required to fill up the vacant commissions in the Volunteer Force; and whether he is going to take any steps to provide a remedy to fill up these vacancies?
§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe deficiency in Volunteer officers, if the maximum establishment is taken as the basis for calculation, is 1,417 subalterns, and 260 above that rank. It must be remembered, however, that there exists a relative deficiency in privates as regards maximum establishment. It is to be hoped that the steps already taken will result in an accession of strength to the number of officers.