§ MR. BOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he will state of how many persons the Army Council consists; what is the official designation of each of its members; and how many of its members are soldiers and how many civilians.
§ MR. HALDANEThe Army Council consists of seven members, viz., the Secretary of State for War, the four military members being the Chief of the General Staff, the Adjutant-General, the Quartermaster-General, and the Master-General of the Ordnance; the civil member being the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, and the finance member being the Financial Secretary to the War Office.
§ MR. BOWLESI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he can state, in case a difference of opinion arises among the members of the Army Council as to any matter of military policy or administration, how the decision of the Council on that matter is arrived at; is it ascertained by a vote of the majority of all its members, by a vote of the majority of the members present, or how otherwise; and, if by vote, how many votes are allotted to the Secretary of State, and how many to each of his fellow members.
§ MR. HALDANEBy Order in Council the Secretary of State is made responsible to Parliament for all the business of the Army Council, and is given the power of specially reserving to himself any part of it. So far as my experience has gone there has been no difference of Opinion in the Council such as has necessitated a decision by the rather formal methods suggested by the hon. Member.
§ MR. BOWLESHas no vote ever been taken in the Army Council?
§ MR. HALDANENo, I do not think so.
§ *MR. LEIF JONES (Westmoreland Appleby)In the event of a difference of opinion between the Secretary of State and the Army Council, will the opinion of the right hon. Gentleman outweigh the opinion of the other members?
§ MR. HALDANEWe do not put these constitutional things in that form. Under the terms of the Order in Council and under the terms of the Bill there is specially reserved to the Secretary of State the power of withdrawing all business from the Army Council and of apportioning any part of it he likes. The House of Commons has control over the Secretary of State.
§ *MR. LEIF JONESThe question is whether the Secretary of State has ample control over the Army Council.
§ MR. HALDANEThat question will be considered when it arises.