15. Lieut.-Colonel W. GUINNESSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that there are now employed in the Department of the chief of the Imperial General Staff at the War Office, 1 deputy-chief of the Imperial General Staff, 3 directors, 5 deputy-directors, 89 general staff officers, and a major-general, a total of 99, as against 3 directors and 60 general staff officers employed prior to the outbreak of war in 1914; and whether he can explain why, now that the War is over, there is still this inflation of 57 per cent, in the number of officers of these grades employed at the War Office?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe question of reduction of the number of officers employed on the general staff at the War Office is amongst the questions now under review by the Army Council in their endeavours to reduce expenditure. The addition over pre-War establishment of 36 officers is mainly due to the greater work thrown on the Army by the greater responsibilities they are carrying in the Middle East, Silesia, Ireland and elsewhere.