§ *SR. ROBERT HOBARTI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will give the annual difference in expense if the Irish Guards were disbanded instead of the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards, taking into consideration the cost of the regimental staff and band and depÔt and recruiting establishments, which have to be maintained for the single battalion of the former regiment.
§ MR. HALDANEThe saving would be increased by about £17,000 a year and the strength of the Army further diminished by four officers and some.300 men, if the Irish Guards had been selected for disbandment in lieu of the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards.
§ *SR. ROBERT HOBARTasked whether the right hon. Gentleman had taken or would take into consideration the length of the service of the officers and non-commissioned officers of the two regiments.
MR. HAL DANEsaid the Irish Guards had got a very strong battalion, and the War Office decided, after a very close and careful consideration of the matter, that they should be retained in preference to the 3rd battalion of a regiment that had got two other battalions.