§ Mr. CLOUGHasked the Prime Minister if he can state who are the members of the Committee of Imperial Defence; what are the numbers of its permanent officials and the amounts of their salaries; how many meetings are held annually; and what is the total cost of this Committee to the National Exchequer?
§ The PRIME MINISTERAs regards the members of the Committee, I would refer my hon. Friend to an answer which I gave to a similar question on 27th April, 1909. Since that date the following members nave been added to the Committee:—
§ Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, and General Sir Ian Hamilton, when he takes up his appointment as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief in the Mediterranean.
§ The number of the permanent officials and the amounts of their salaries are shown in the Estimates for the current year. The number of meetings held annually varies, and the greater part of the work of the Committee is carried out by Sub-Committees. At the present time such Sub-Committees are investigating eight separate questions, their Reports on which will be considered by the Committee of Imperial Defence as a whole.
§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEMay I ask whether Lord Kitchener is still a member of the Defence Committee, although no longer High Commissioner in the Mediterranean?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo.
§ Mr. GIBSON BOWLESIs Lord Esher a member of the Committee of Imperial Defence?
§ The PRIME MINISTERYes.