9. Major HENDERSONasked who were the officers who formed the Selection Board for promotion; how many officers were required to form a quorum; how often the Board met; when it last met; and also the average attendance during the past two years?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe officers composing the Selection Board are the Inspectors-General of the Home and Oversea forces, the Commanders-in-Chief of the Aldershot, Eastern, Southern, and Irish Commands, and the four Military Members of the Army Council. Five is laid down as a quorum, but the absence of any of the members is unusual except in the case of the Inspector-General of the Oversea forces. The Board meets once a month and last met on 6th June. The average attendance is eight.
§ Mr. ASHLEYCan the hon. Gentleman say on whose advice the Selection Board acts when deciding who shall receive appointments?
§ Mr. TENNANTThey act on their own authority. They are appointed by the Secretary of State.
§ Mr. TENNANTThe recommendations come in the ordinary course. The "book" of each officer is before the Board, and they have the record of each particular officer.
10. Major HENDERSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether it is proposed to bring in an officer to command the 1st battalion of the Berkshire Regiment; and, if so, whether the selected officer has war service, whether he has been through the Staff College, and what staff service he has had; and whether he is aware that there are three majors in the regiment who have received the Distinguished Service Order and one who received a brevet-majority during the South African War?
§ Mr. TENNANTIt is not considered desirable to debar officers from extra regimental promotion because they have seen no war service, and have not passed the Staff College. I cannot think that it is in the best interests of the Service to canvass the merits of individual cases of promotion, or the recommendations of the Selection Board which are made within the discretion allowed to them.
Major HENDERSONDoes the hon. Gentleman think that promotion in this way, and the passing over of officers in the way suggested, tends to get recruits or to get young officers to join?
§ Mr. TENNANTI am not aware that many have been passed over. I do not 839 think it rightly comes within the discretion of Members of this House to interfere with the discretion of a Board which has been specially selected for this very office with its onerous duties.