§ MR. ARTHUR LEE (Hampshire, Farnham)To ask the Secretary of State for War if he will explain his estimate that the average annual cost per man of the horse and field artillery will be only £45 12s. under his new scheme, as compared with £74 7s. 4d. under the old system; and to what causes does he attribute the corresponding savings of £8 16s. 8d. per man and £6 Os. 6d. per man in the cases of the infantry and cavalry of the line respectively.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane). The figures given in my reply to a Question put by my hon. friend the Member for the Reigate Division of Surrey on the 11th inst., † for both the present and the new systems, represent the average annual cost of all those who, on a general mobilisation, would be liable to serve abroad. For the present system these comprise the regular peace establishment and the Army Reserve. For the new system they include in addition the special contingent and the special service section of the territorial force. The reduction in annual cost under horse and field artillery is due partly to the larger Army Reserve to be obtained by a shorter period of colour service for part of the regular establishment of that
†See (4) Debates, clxxii., 346.20 arm, and partly to the inclusion of the special contingent men for ammunition columns; the cost per head of these men being much less than that of the regular soldier. The corresponding savings under infantry and cavalry of the line are similarly due to the inclusion, under the new scheme, of infantry of the special contingent and cavalry (Yeomanry) of the special service section respectively.