HC Deb 15 May 1906 vol 157 cc376-7

Order for the Third Reading read.

Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read the third time."

LORD WILLOUGHBY DE ERESBY (Lancashire, Horncastle)

asked why the Bill was called the Reserve Forces Bill. He was always under the impression that the Reserve Forces included the Militia, Yeomanry, and Volunteer Forces. This Bill dealt entirely with the Army Reserve, which he had always looked upon as our front line of defence. There were very few battalions which could be called out for active service unless the Army Reserve were called upon to fill the gap. In view of these facts he asked if it were wise to call the present Bill "the Reserve Forces Bill;" might it not lead to complications?

THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. HALDANE, Haddington)

replied that Acts dealing with the question had always been called Reserve Forces Acts, and although he had no doubt that there was a good deal in the noble Lord's criticism he had abided by the action of his predecessors.

MR. T. L. CORBETT (Down, N.)

called attention to the fact that on Monday the Prime Minister had announced that the programme of procedure for Tuesday would consist of only a few little Bills. Unfortunately people differed in their opinions as to what things were little and what were large. He should not like to trust the Prime Minister's sense of proportion as to what were small Bills. [Cries of "Order."] He wished to call the attention of the House to Clause 2, and to ask for an explanation. It appeared to him to interfere with the privileges of the private soldier in determining in what branch of the service he should serve, as it repealed the enactment which prevented a reserve man from being called up to serve, without his consent, in any corps in which he had not previously served.

THE PRIME MINISTER AND FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Sir H. CAMPBELL-BANNERMAN, Stirling Burghs)

said with regard to the hon. Member's reference to himself that everyone must form his own judgment as to what was great and what was small. The criticism which might seem to one Member to be of great importance might to another Member appear to be of no importance at all. He had, however, covered any delinquencies of that sort by telling the hon. Member's leader that he should proceed with the Bills in the order they were to be found on the Paper. That would cover any characterisation of a Bill as being either large or small. He might also solve the hon. Member's doubts as to the measure itself by informing him that it was, verbatim et literatim, the Bill introduced by the late Government last year.

MR T. L. CORBETT

rose again, but was informed that he had already exhausted his right to speak.

COLONEL LEGGE

asked for an explanation as to the class of men to be enlisted in the Reserve. As far as his experience went the Army Reserve was composed of men who had served in the Army and had then been transferred to the Reserve. The Bill before them provided for the enlistment of men in that Reserve, but he was not clear as to what class of men would comprise the Reserve. Would they be men who had served in the Army or not? Would they be civilians?

MR. HALDANE

explained that this was a Bill of the late Government and had been found necessary by experience in the South African war. Men were wanted in the Remount Department, but they could not take men from the Cavalry Reserve, because those men had enlisted only for that particular arm of the service. By this Bill the War Office took power, therefore, to enlist men for any arm of the service and to transfer Reserves from one branch to another. By the Reserve Forces Act, 1890, power was conferred upon the Secretary of State to enlist a man straight into the Reserve, and this power had been found very convenient. Men were given reserve pay to hold themselves in readiness to be called up if mobilisation became necessary.

Question put and agreed.

Bill read the third time, and passed.