18. Captain CAMPBELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he will state what reasons led up to the appointment of a Regular officer to command the 4th Lowland (H.) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, Scottish Command; whether he is aware that a Territorial officer has been appointed to the command of the 3rd Lowland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, in Scotland; whether he will state the reasons which govern the appointment of a Regular officer to command one brigade and a Territorial officer to command another; and whether he will consider the advisability of encouraging Territorial officers by arranging that if efficient and qualified they shall not be debarred from the command of their units?
§ Mr. TENNANTTerritorial officers are selected to command Field Artillery Brigades when suitable and qualified officers are available. In the case of the 4th Lowland Brigade the officer commanding the Divisional Artillery, the Divisional Commander, and the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief were of the opinion that there was no Territorial officer available, either in the Brigade or in the Divisional Artillery, who had sufficient technical knowledge and experience adequately to carry out the training of the Brigade, and they recommended the appointment of a suitable Regular officer.
Captain CAMPBELLArising out of that answer, whilst I acknowledge that the Regular officer ought to be in many cases—
Captain CAMPBELLMay I ask, then, if the hon. Gentleman is aware that the officer to whom he has referred has passed every qualifying and practical examination, whereas the other officer commanding the 3rd Lowland Brigade has not passed those examinations, yet he has been given preferential treatment—
Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member's question is in the nature of an argument. He must raise it at the proper time, not at Question Time.