§ MR. LAMBERT (Devonshire, South Molton)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War, what would be the additional annual cost to be defrayed by the State so that no Volunteer should be out of pocket in consequence of his endeavour to train himself as a soldier.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI am afraid that there are no statistics available from which it would be possible to calculate the cost to the State of providing for the out-of-pocket expenditure of the Volunteer over and above the public grants which are calculated to meet such expenses as are absolutely necessary in order that the average man may become efficient.
§ MR. LAMBERTCan the right hon. Gentleman give an approximate estimate?
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERNo, Sir. I have taken some pains to inquire and find so many items of expenditure are 790 undertaken by officers in pursuance of their own ideas of duty, and they vary so much, that cannot give even an approximate estimate.