§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN (Stirling Burghs)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can grant the Return on the Paper relating to the new Army Scheme.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, W.Yes, Sir. I will endeavour to furnish the Return asked for by the right hon. Gentleman in a form closely corresponding with the form suggested. I ought to add, however, the same proviso as I made in answer to the Question of the hon. Member for the Eastern Division of Perthshire yesterday, viz., that the figures must, to a large extent, be contingent upon the acceptance by Parliament of the proposals I made as a whole.
§ SIR H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANWill the Return be in the hands of Members in time for the debate?
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERNo date has yet been fixed for the debate, but I will use every endeavour to that end. I am most anxious that the right hon. Gentleman should have the figures.
§ Appended is the Return above referred to—
§ Army Organisation Scheme.—Address for Return showing, as regards the proposals of His Majesty's Government, the following particulars, viz.:—
- (a) Scheme of establishments of Infantry and Guards, similar to that on pages 18 and 19, of Army Estimates.
- (b) Distribution at home and abroad, as on page 22 of Army Estimates.
- (c) Constitution approximately estimated, of a unit of each establishment proposed, showing the number of men serving in each year of their service.
- (d) Draft calculated to be required for each unit serving abroad, stating what is the basis assumed.
- (e) Number of Reservists which it is calculated to be created by each cadre—Home service general service, and foreign service.
- (f) How the battalions will be made up on mobilisation, showing the number under twenty years of age in the battalion, the number over twenty years, and the number of Reservists required to complete War establishment, and the number in excess, the waste of Reservists being assumed according to experience before 1899.
- (g) Total number of recruits of nineteen years of age and upwards, to keep up establishment of battalions abroad.
- (h) Total number of recruits of eighteen years required for the home service battalions.
- (i) Mode in which non-commissioned officers will be obtained and trained for the home service battalions.
- (j) Names and numbers of the battalions which will form the several categories.
- (k) Reliefs, how effected, and interchange of officers and non-commissioned officers between the battalions.
- (l) Minimum service and age of men proceeding on foreign service.
- (m) Location of men who have completed six months service at the depot.
- (n) Rates of pay of the respective Armies.
- (o) Conditions on which men are to extend their service for pension.