MR. CHARLES HOBHOITSEI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Court of Inquiry into the Remount Department will take cognisance of the total sum of £9,125,000 expended by that Department since the outbreak of the war; and, if not, how much of that expenditure will fall within the scope of the inquiry.
§ MR. BRODRICKThe Court of Inquiry is now sitting. I have no power to control the question raised by the hon. Member.
§ MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSECannot the right hon. Gentleman give a plain answer to a plain Question? Will the amount spent by the Remount Department be included in the iniquity? Surely there must be some reference to the Committee.
§ MR. BRODRICKI have no control whatever over the Court of Inquiry, which has been asked by the Commander-in-Chief to report on certain points.
§ MR. CHARLES HOBHOUSEWhat are those points?
§ [No answer was returned.]
§ MR. PIRIE (Aberdeen, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that General Truman has decided to do without the assistance of counsel at the Court of Inquiry into the Remounts case; and, seeing that the War Office have stated that General Truman will be allowed counsel to assist him, of which they will bear the expense, can he state what arrangements are being made to carry out that decision. In view of the above decision, is General Truman to be allowed to choose his own counsel; can he now state who is the counsel retained to assist the Court by the Treasury solicitors; what position this counsel will hold, and what is meant by the task allotted to him of sifting the evidence.
§ MR. BRODRICKThe Court of Inquiry is in no respect under my control. I approached the Treasury with a request to allow General Truman the service of a counsel, and authority was accordingly given for his payment. I know nothing of what General Truman has decided to do, or whom he has employed. The counsel retained to assist the Court as assessor is Mr. Milvain, K.C. He will, I presume, render the Court such assistance as they require of him.