§ Mr. KEBTY-FLETCHERasked the Secretary of State if he would state the number of general officers of each department on full and half-pay and on pension, the number of general officers in the German Army, and the number of general officers in the Japanese Army?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe number of general officers of the British Service on full and half-pay is as follows: Cavalry, 12; Artillery, 21; Engineers, 13; Infantry, 62; A.S.C., 4; total, 112. The number of general officers on retired pay is 233. The number of general officers on the active list of the German Army is 422. The number of general officers on the active list of the Japanese Army is 136.
§ Mr. KEBTY-FLETCHERWill the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the advisability of reducing the redundancy of generals and with that saving increasing the pay of the subalterns?
§ Mr. HALDANEThat has been fully considered over and over again. I do not think the number of general officers is excessive. It must be remembered that until comparatively recently the problem of organisation of the Army had not been considered in the way it has of late years and brought to a high standard. It is in consequence of that the matter has arisen.