The Brigade of Guards.

HC Deb 28 July 1906 vol 162 cc210-1

MR. COURTHOPE

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War which battalion of the Brigade of Guards has the highest musketry figure of merit.

MR. HALDANE

The battalion of the Brigade of Guards which obtained the highest average for the year 1905 is the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.

MR. COURTHOPE

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War which battalion of the Brigade of Guards was most successful in the recent National Rifle Association meeting at Bisley; what competitions were won by that battalion; and whether those competitions were open to the whole British Army.

MR. HALDANE

The War Office has no official information concerning the competitions, entries and scores at rifle prize meetings.

MR. COURTHOPE

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War which battalion of the Brigade of Guards has the highest figure of merit for signalling; and what position that battalion occupies in the whole of the British Army in regard to signalling.

MR. HALDANE

The 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards gained the highest figure of merit for signalling during the last inspection and is also placed first in list of battalions of the Home and Colonial Establishments.

MR. COURTHOPE

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether a battalion of the Guards' Brigade on mobilisation costs the country more or less than a line battalion.

MR. HALDANE

The pay of the Guards is slightly higher than that of I Infantry of the Line. In all other respects the cost of a mobilised battalion of Guards is the same as that of a mobilised line battalion.

MR. COURTHOPE

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the battalion of the Brigade of Guards which he proposes to disband were selected owing to inefficiency, or for what other reason.

MR. HALDANE

I have already fully explained to the House the reasons for the selection of the battalions concerned in my speech on Army Estimates, to which I have nothing to add.