§ Mr. GRETTONasked the Secretary of State for War if provision is made in the Territorial Regulations for payment to be made to Territorial soldiers who are either temporarily or permanently incapacitated by sickness or disease contracted during their training and arising from it, as is now done in case of injury caused by accidents; and, if not, if he will take early steps to authorise payments in suitable cases?
§ Mr. HALDANEProvision already exists as regards temporary disablement by illness, in Paragraph 458, Territorial Force Regulations, and as regards Permanent disablement in Article 1,119 of the Royal Warrant for Pay, etc.
§ Mr. GRETTONAm I to understand the paragraph is to be interpreted to mean cases of illness as well as accident?
§ Mr. HALDANEI should like a question put down before I answer that.
§ Mr. GRETTONasked the Secretary of State for War if mobilisation stores for the Territorial Forces are to be provided by the War Office or the county associations; and, if by the latter, whether he intends to provide the funds necessary for the purchase of stores, their storage, and up-keep by the associations?
§ Mr. HALDANEStores required on mobilisation of the Territorial Force have been divided into two categories. The first consists of those stores which can be purchased as ordinary trade articles, or can be hired. These are to be provided by the county associations, who will be supplied with the funds for the purpose when the occasion arises. In the other category are those stores which are provided by the Army Ordnance Department, of which some may be held in charge in peace by the association; and in this case grants will be, made to cover necessary expenses of storage.
§ Mr. GRETTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the equipment regulations, laying down what stores are to be provided by the Department and what by the associations, are issued in blank, and there is no information available?
§ Mr. HALDANEIt will take some time to get a vast organisation of this kind into order, but progress is being made.
§ Mr. GRETTONasked the Secretary of State for War if any information is in the possession of the War Office as to the state of the barrels of the rifles in the possession of the Territorial Forces; and whether, before ordering the contemplated expenditure upon the alteration in the breech action of those rifles, he will call for a careful return of the proportion of badly worn, worn, and slightly worn rifle barrels in each unit?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe condition of the rifles in possession of the Territorial Force is known by periodical inspection. No rifles are converted unless their condition is such as to warrant the expenditure on them.
§ Lord BALCARRES (for Mr. Renwick)asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the rifle range at 1938 Morpeth has been closed recently owing to its alleged unsuitability for shooting under the new regulations; and, as the closing of the range is causing inconvenience to the local Territorial Forces, will he state what alterations are considered necessary to enable the range to be reopened with the least possible delay, and will the Government bear the cost of the necessary alterations?
§ Mr. HALDANEThis range has been closed by the General Officer Commanding pending inspection by a board of officers as to its safety. Any capital expenditure that may be considered necessary would be met by a grant to the Territorial Association from Army funds.