§ Lord WILLOUGHBY de ERESBYasked the Secretary of State for War if it is proposed to disband the Bourne half company of the 4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, whose strength is three officers and 41 men, in view of the fact that the regiment being already 142 men below establishment, the general officer commanding, in his report on the regiment, urged the importance of bringing up the battalion to its full strength; if it is customary to convey the decisions of the Army Council to the county associations before or at the same time as to the district headquarters; and if this was done in this case?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Haldane)No action has been taken by the military authorities with regard to the proposed disbandment of this half company to which the hon. Member refers. Therefore if such a step is being considered it is on the initiative of the county association. Any Army Council decision affecting the work for which a county association is responsible is notified to the association as well as to the command headquarters if these are in any way affected. In the present case there having been no Army Council decision, no notification has been made.