§ MR. SWIFT MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Chaplain-General to the Forces or the General Officer in command of a District is the recognised authority for detailing a chaplain or officiating clergyman to give specific religious instruction to children attending Army schools; what are the powers of the Chaplain-General in regard to the attendance of children; and whether Inspectors of Army Schools are responsible to the General Officer Commanding or to the Chaplain-General for the subjects on which instruction is given and for the appointment of the instructors.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER,) Belfast, W.In reply to the first point raised, the General Officer Commanding is the authority. As regards the second point raised, the Chaplain-General has no powers. As regards the third point raised, the collective Bible lessons are given by the Army schoolmasters and schoolmistresses, who are appointed by the Director of Army Schools; a printed course of these lessons is issued for their guidance by the War Office.