§ MR. LAMBERTI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether there is a properly-trained medical establishment for the balance of any Army exceeding 55,000 men taking the field abroad.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe war establishments of the Army provide for a considerable portion of the medical staff being civilians. As the numbers of the latter available on mobilisation have not been determined on, it would not be practicable to give the hon. Member any precise figures on the subject.
I may add that the Army Council is aware that the strength of the Royal Army Medical Corps is not yet adequate, and are making every endeavour to increase it.
§ MR. LAMBERTIs it not the fact that j if an Army exceeding 55,000 men went abroad, there would be no properly-trained medical service for them?
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThat is not so. Experience in the last war showed that we could rely on a large number of very highly-trained medical officers.
§ MR. LAMBERTCivilian officers?