§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what proportion of the men who have enlisted in, or been transferred to, the Special Reserve are expected to pass to the Regular Army on or before the completion of their period of training in the Special Reserve.
§ MR. HALDANEThe new system has not been long enough in practice to furnish any data from which the proportion could be calculated. It is however, expected that the number will be about the same as that which used to join the Regular Army from the Militia.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERBut when the right hon. Gentleman tells us 10,000 men have joined the Special Reserve, does he mean that they have joined the Special Reserve or the Regular Army?
§ MR. HALDANEThe Special Reserve.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERIs it not the fact that a very large proportion—90 per cent.—of the men are passing on to the Regular Army.
§ MR. HALDANEThey have joined the Special Reserve and they are there now.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERIs it not perfectly well known at all the depots that 80 or 90 per cent. of the men have joined the Special Reserve with the object of taking the £2 bounty and passing into the line at the end of three months?