§ MAJOR RASCHI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Cabinet Committee of Defence decides upon the measures necessary for a campaign; whether it has direct access to naval or military opinion; and whether it keeps records or minutes.
§ MR. BRODRICKI would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply of the First Lord of the Treasury to a similar 681 question in February last, which for the convenience of the House I will read—
The Committee of Defence is a Committee of the Cabinet and does not differ essentially from other Committees of the Cabinet. It neither removes responsibility from the Cabinet as a whole, nor from any of the Ministers responsible for the Departments either of the Army or of the Navy. Of course the Committee obtains the best information it can from experts and from others. Like other Cabinet Committees it keeps no records.