§ MR. MORTON (Sutherland)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether steps will be taken to consider
* No. 1 Dock was not completed until 12th March, 1906.† Includes "Assistance" in dock for eight months.507 the position of officers in various regiments who have been superseded, and promotion consequently retarded, by officers who have been brought into regiments from the recently-disbanded regiments; and whether any steps will be taken to promote the officers thus superseded at the time they would have obtained such promotion had not a reduction in the Army taken place.
§ MR. HALDANECases of disbandment in any branch of the service must necessarily cause retardation of promotion throughout the branch, and it is expedient to consider the interests of the infantry officers as a body rather than those of any particular regiment. Every effort has been made to avoid hardship. The measures which are suggested in the Question are, I fear, impracticable.