§ MR. TULLY (Leitrim, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state on what grounds it has been decided that every command and staff appointment of an ordinary character shall be for a period of three years only.
LORD STANLEYThe tenure of staff appointments was reduced from five years to three, with the view of keeping officers more in touch with their units, and to curtail lengthened periods of absence on the staff. Power was retained, however, to extend an officer's tenure to complete five years in case it should seem desirable in the interests of the public service.