§ MR. LYELL (Dorsetshire, E.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether inability to distinguish colours is no longer to be a bar to the granting of commissions in His Majesty's Army.
§ those who resign and those who retire voluntarily on pension or gratuity. Resignations are always accepted by the War Office unless the officer has committed an offence necessitating removal; none have been refused. Retirements, however, cannot always be accepted forthwith, as some are only permissible on the understanding that the officer joins the Militia or Yeomanry, and a little delay sometimes occurs on the officer's part in securing nomination for such service; there are eight cases awaiting sanction for this reason. As regards the Auxiliary Forces all details in connection with resignations are now carried out by General Officers Commanding in Chief, and the figures only of those sanctioned are available. The figures available are as follows—
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERYes, Sir. In accordance with the recommendations of the medical authorities, it has been decided to return to the former practice under which colour blindness was not regarded as a disqualification for a commission in the Army.