§ COLONEL IVOR PHILIPPS (Southampton)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether Yeomen whose present engagements expire after 31st March, 1908, and before the completion of this year's camp-training of their unit, may enlist in the new force for one year; if not, what is the shortest period for which such men may re-engage or enlist; if such men re-enlist in the new force will they be allowed to draw the old Yeomanry rate of pay for the 1908 training; and may the attestation of Yeomen serving in the old force and desirous of enlisting in the new force be postponed until the commencement of the annual training of their unit in order to give commanding officers an 487 opportunity of explaining the new conditions of service to their men.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) Yeomen whose engagements were due to expire on a date subsequent to 31st March may enlist in the Territorial Force to complete such period, but if they wish to continue service on its completion they must re-engage for the period prescribed by their County Association, which will not be less than one year or more than four years, and must come under the new conditions as regards pay, etc. Any man whose term of service was due to expire after 31st March, and before the 1908 training, who, at the end of the 1907 training or subsequently before 31st March, 1908, re-engaged for a further year in accordance with Paragraph 66, Yeomanry Regulations, will be permitted to enlist in the Territorial Force to complete the term of his engagement still to run, including that further year, and will retain the old rates of pay during such period. Yeomen enrolled before 18th August, 1901, who have not since come under The Militia and Yeomanry Act, 1901, may be attested for one year as from 31st March, 1908, and retain their existing rate of pay, etc., for that period. Attestation may be postponed until 30th June, but no man will be trained until he has been attested. Men who have signified their intention of attesting, and who cannot conveniently be attested before training, may be brought to training and at once attested. They will draw no pay until they have been attested, and if they do not attest immediately on joining training they will be discharged. Men whose attestations have been deferred until after the date of expiration of their Imperial Yeomanry engagement will, if they wish to join the Territorial Force, be obliged to re-enlist for the full period of four years.