§ Sir REGINALD POLE-CAREWasked the Under-Secretary of State for War (1) how many Cavalry regiments there are which have during the last thirty years had less foreign service than the 7th Hussars; (2) whether the 20th Hussars went to India in 1895 and returned in 1904, having thus served nine years abroad, whereas the 7th served sixteen; (3) 130 whether, if the old roster had not been altered, the 7th Hussars would have remained on home service until, at least, 1915; (4) if he will state from what date the 7th Hussars were linked to the 3rd Hussars, and on what principle they were so linked; and (5) whether he will consider the desirability of devising a system of linking by which Cavalry regiments would receive a greater equality of treatment with regard to foreign service?
§ Colonel SEELYI will answer the first of these questions and the following four questions together.
§ Sir REGINALD POLE-CAREWMay I appeal to you, Mr. Speaker? I put these questions down separately, in order to have them answered one by one.
§ Colonel SEELYI think I shall be able, if not to satisfy the hon. and gallant Gentleman, to give him replies to all the questions and save the time of the House. The present arrangement of the roster was settled in 1903 by a Committee with the object of carrying out the system of linking regiments in pairs, keeping carefully in view, as far as possible, the claims of the different regiments. Any readjustment of the roster would not only upset the whole scheme, but would involve injustice to other regiments, and I am afraid I cannot undertake to make any change in the arrangements which were arrived at in 1903 after very full consideration of all the attendant circumstances.