§ MR. H. D. GREENE (Shrewsbury)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of Court-martial proceedings which in the year 1903 were submitted to the Judge Advocate General's Department in London; in how many cases findings were quashed; in how many cases in which soldiers were sentenced the punishment or part of it had been served before the findings were quashed, or before a remission of the whole or part of the sentence; and whether any, and what, steps have been taken to check the increase of illegalities of Courts-martial.
§ * MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERDuring 1903 the proceedings of 11,232 Courts-martial were received in the Judge Advocate General's Office, and in 72 cases the proceedings were wholly quashed. In all cases in which a sentence of imprisonment had been confirmed and then ultimately quashed by the Judge Advocate General, a portion, at least, of the sentence had necessarily been served. As regards the last part of the Question, a circular letter has been recently issued to General Officers Commanding, with the object of preventing the cases of illegality in future.
§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILLHaving regard to the fact that the Judge Advocate General is no longer a Minister responsible to this House——
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! Notice must be given of the Question.