§ VISCOUNT VALENTIA (Oxford)I beg to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the War Office, whether Her Majesty's Government will consider the strong claims of the Yeomanry Cavalry to a special long service decoration and medal; and, if not, why this honour, conferred upon Volunteers, is withheld from the Yeomanry Cavalry?
MR. POWELL-WILLIAMSThis question has been considered on several occasions; and it has been decided that the medal and decoration for long service shall not be given to the Yeomanry Cavalry. The force differs from the Volunteers in that it is a paid force like the Militia and regular Army. There is the further reason that it is not considered desirable to encourage yeomen to serve so long as 20 years; which in most cases exceeds the limits of efficiency.