21. Mr. FREDERICK HALL (Dulwich)asked the Secretary of State for War if application was made on behalf of the Honourable Artillery Company in November, 1912, for the batteries to go to Salisbury Plain in the present year to carry out gun practice; if no communication on the subject was addressed to the company, which did not learn until the following February, when the programme of Artillery practice was issued, that no provision had been made for the company to carry out any firing practice at all this year; if subsequently the company authorities were informed, in reply to an inquiry, that they would be allowed 100 rounds per battery instead of 200 rounds, the proper allowance; if this limited allowance was provided for in the Estimates; and, if not, will he state whether the ammunition of some other, and, if so, which, Territorial batteries is being curtailed in order to provide it?
§ Colonel SEELYNo application was received from the batteries of the Honourable Artillery Company to carry out gun practice in the present year, and consequently no communication on the subject was addressed to the general officer commanding, London district. When the programme of Territorial Artillery practice was issued, the officer commanding the Honourable Artillery Company made representation on behalf of the batteries with a view to their carrying out practice. The ammunition allotted for all Territorial Force batteries for the year had already been pooled and allotted, but a small reserve had been kept from which it was possible to allot 100 rounds to each of the Honourable Artillery Company batteries.
Major STANLEYDoes the right hon. Gentleman say that the Honourable Artillery Company made no application?
§ Colonel SEELYNot, in the first instance until after the allotment had been made in accordance with the usual practice. An application was made subsequently, and we have dealt with it as far as we were able.