15. Lieut.-Colonel CLAYasked the Secretary of State for War whether the Report of the Committee upon Courts-Martial has yet been considered by the Army Council; whether he proposes to adopt the recommendations of either the 1079 majority or minority Reports of the Committee; and, if so, whether the necessary Amendments will be proposed by the Government in Committee on the Army (Annual) Bill?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part of the question it is proposed to accept the recommendations of the Majority Report with a few exceptions, and in accordance with a recommendation to that effect contained in the Report itself I have appointed two small expert Committees to draft the necessary Clauses, Rules of Procedure, King's Regulations, and other documents, and to work out certain of the proposals in detail. With regard to the last part of the question the greater part of the Recommendations in the Majority Report do not require legislation. It may be found practicable to embody the specific proposals which involve legislation in the Army Annual Bill of this year. It will not, however, be possible to deal this year with the general revision of the Army Act and scales of punishments thereunder recommended by the Committee.