EARL OF RONALDSHAY (Middlesex, Hornsey)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if a Volunteer, who has served sixteen years and does not join the Territorial Force, is eligible for the long-service medal, whereas a Volunteer who has served more than sixteen years and less than twenty years, and who joins the Territorial Force, and whose term of service in the Territorial Force, together with his term of service in the Volunteers, reaches twenty years, is not eligible for the long-service medal; and, 1226 if this is the case, what is the reason for this apparent inequality of treatment.
§ MR. HALDANEAs I have already explained to the House, no inequality of treatment was intended. In view, however, of the apparent dissatisfaction on this point it has been decided that Volunteers of sixteen years service who have joined the Territorial Force may have the option of being considered either for the long-service medal or the new efficiency medal.