§ Mr. REMNANTasked if it is proposed at once to make provision for remedying the increasing shortage of horses for our Regular Army, or to continue the present practice of lending Army horses for short periods to different branches of the Army as and when required on particular occasions?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe hon. Member is presumably alluding to the provision of horses on mobilisation with which I have just dealt in reply to a previous question. There is no shortage of horses for maintaining existing establishments. As regards the last part of the question, which apparently alludes to the loan of horses to the Territorial Force, there are mutual advantages to the Regular and Territorial force to be gained by the utilisation of horses in this manner.
§ Mr. REMNANTHas the right hon. Gentleman now established some satisfactory arrangement with the regular troops for letting their horses, and, if so, would he circulate the Army Order bearing on it?
§ Mr. HALDANEYes; but I do not think it is an Army Order. The matter was settled a fortnight or three weeks ago, and then made known.
§ Sir FREDERICK BANBURYWill the right hon. Gentleman state the number of horses now in the Army?
§ Mr. HALDANEI should not like to commit myself from memory. There are certainly over 20,000 horses for the peace establishment, and there are a large number registered. We increased them by several thousand last year, and also the peace establishment.