§ MR. GRIFFITH-BOSCAWEN (Kent, Tunbridge)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War, whether, in view of the fact that the professional prospects of a great number of Majors in the Army are very seriously injured by the extension of the term of command beyond four years, now granted in many cases to Lieutenant Colonels commanding regiments and battalions, the Government have any intention of endeavouring to compensate for this injury by improving the conditions under which Majors can retire, as, for instance, by re-introducing the provision, recently abolished, by which a Major could retire on a pension of £300 a year after seven years' service in that rank?
§ MR. BRODRICKIt is not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to re-introduce the very expensive system under which Majors could retire, after seven years' service in the rank, on £300 756 a year. Promotion has hitherto been sufficiently maintained without it. It is not anticipated that the occasional extension of terms of regimental command will render it necessary to resort to any measure of the kind suggested by the hon. Member.