§ 23 Major GLYNasked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether any steps are being taken to make use of the war training and experience of the many young captains and subalterns who have relinquished their temporary commissions in the new armies created during the War, and to encourage them to join the Reserve of Officers by holding out some advantages that are compatible with their civil occupations; if this action has been taken, what is the nature of the inducements held out; (2) How many officers of the new armies, Special Reserve, and Territorial Army have been specially selected by the Commander-in-Chief in the field and recommended for appointment to permanent regular commissions; whether under present circumstances there is room for these officers in the Regular Army; if any steps are being taken to encourage these officers to join the Reserve of Officers; if so, what particular inducements are being offered; (3) Whether, in view of the fact that pages 2,333 to 2,373 of the January Army List contain the names of over 400 infantry captains and subalterns who have been given permission to resign their regular commissions on the condition that they join the Reserve of Officers, he will take steps to make public the future terms of service in the Reserve of Officers, since it is important to encourage officers to remain in that Reserve, from which they can under present Regulations resign on the very day on which they are gazetted unless there are certain definite advantages known to be obtainable by remaining in the Reserve of Officers?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe conditions of service in the Reserve of Officers are under consideration, and until a decision is reached it is not possible to make any announcement of the terms of service or the nature of the inducements which it may be possible to offer to encourage officers to join the Reserve.
As regards the first two parts of Question 25, the number of non-Regular officers who have been recommended for permanent Regular commissions is 3,741, and applications and recommendations are still being received.
In some of the technical arms of the service there is a deficit of Regular officers, and arrangements are being made 235 for permanent commissions in these arms to be given to a certain number of non-Regular officers who are qualified to perform the requisite duties. In the artillery and infantry there is a surplus of Regular officers over the probable requirements, and the question of how many permanent commissions can be given in these arms is now under consideration.