HC Deb 23 March 1893 vol 10 cc861-2
VISCOUNT WOLMER (Edinburgh, W.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether application has been quite recently made for leave to form a corps of Volunteer Fortress Engineers, not for Leith especially, but for the Edinburgh district; and why the General Officer Commanding in Scotland declined to forward the application to the War Office; and whether, if the application is renewed in the autumn, he will undertake to give the proposal his careful consideration?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN,) Stirling, &c.

The General Officer Commanding the Scottish District reports that his predecessor did not consider it necessary to refer the question of the formation of another Volunteer corps for either Edinburgh or Leith to the War Office, because the corps already established there were greatly below their establishment. Until this difficulty is removed I cannot undertake to consider any proposal in the direction indicated by the noble Lord.

VISCOUNT WOLMER

Is it not the fact that the officers commanding other Volunteer corps did object?

MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN

I believe so; but, as I said the other day, the objection was withdrawn. This is, however, an objection on the part of the War Office. So long as the other corps are so far below their establishment we cannot contemplate the creation of a new corps.