§ DR. THOMPSON (Monaghan, N.)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the advisability of stopping the contributions of 19,000 men annually from the Militia to 946 the Regular Army, by preventing Militia soldiers from joining the Line regiments until they have served three years in the Militia, with the view to bringing the latter force quickly up to its standard strength.
§ DR. THOMPSONTo ask the Secretary of State for War whether, with a view of making the Militia efficient and maintaining it at its proper strength, he will prolong its training period to six weeks, as recommended by the late Royal Commission.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Arnold-Forster.) The whole question of the efficiency of the Militia is under consideration, and under these circumstances I am not prepared to give ally reply to detailed inquiries of the nature indicated in these Questions. As a matter of fact it is not possible to prevent Militia soldiers from joining Line regiments if they so desire, and if it were possible the enforcement of such a rule as that proposed by the hon. Member would, under existing circumstances, prove most detrimental to the recruiting of the Regular Army.