§ MR. C. J. DARLING (Deptford)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether it is the intention of the Government to propose any measure for the reform of the War Office?
§ *MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANThe hon. and learned Member can hardly expect me to give an explicit answer to his question. The subject is a large one, and if any important alteration were at any time contemplated, I should of course take a more suitable method of communicating it to the House than is afforded by an answer to a casual question. I may add, that if by "measure '' the hon. and learned Member means "legislative measure," none would be necessary for the purpose indicated, which is a purely executive proceeding.
§ MR. DARLINGstated that by "measure" he meant the carrying out of the recommendations of the Hartington Commission, of which the right hon. Gentleman was a Member. He desired to ask whether the right hon. Gentleman intended to carry out those recommendations.
§ *MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANWe have had a great many discussions on the matter, in none of which, if I remember rightly, the hon. and learned Member has ever taken part, and from which he has been, happily for himself, 1599 absent. My views on the matter have been stated over and over again, and I have nothing to add to what I have already said.