§ 56. Sir A. MARKHAMI wish to ask whether, if an hon. Member puts a question 31 on the Notice Paper, the officials of the House are entitled to alter the question without giving any notice to the Member whatever of the alteration which has been made? This is not the question I put on the Paper, and I ask it in its truncated form: Whether the late Government asked the Covenanters by letter to lend them their wooden guns for the training of the New Armies; and, if so, what was the date last year when this request was made by the War Office; and why the War Office took no steps to provide the necessary number of rifles for the Armies till the Minister of Munitions was appointed?
§ Mr. TENNANTNo request was made by the War Office to anyone in Ireland for the loan of wooden guns. My hon. Friend's information is at fault in the charge which he brings against the War Office. As decisions were arrived at to raise the New Armies, steps were taken to provide the necessary arms. It appears to be imperfectly realised that the time required to raise a recruit is shorter than that necessary for the manufacture of a rifle.
§ Sir A. MARKHAMIs my right hon. Friend aware that the statement was made by a Member of the House that these requests had been made and why the War Office did not ask the Covenanters to bring their actual rifles and ammunition instead of playing with them. The hon. Member opposite made the statement emphatically.