§ MR. MACNEILL (Donegal, S.)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he will shortly be in a position to inform the House of his decision in regard to the recommendation of Lord Esher's Committee, dated 26th February, 1904, that a change of personnel in the civil establishment in the War Office was of the greatest importance in the interests of the efficiency of the public service; and whether he is now considering the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General in regard to the conduct of 1399 departmental business by the Army Council.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) As regards the first part of the Question, I must remind the hon. Member that considerable changes were made in the personnel of the civil establishment by my predecessor. As regards the second part of the Question, I have been glad to read the testimony of the Comptroller and Auditor-General in regard to the promptitude and thoroughness of the work in the War Office.