§ 44. Lieut.-Colonel Sir G. WILLSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that from the time of the last South African War up to the present year it has been the custom to admit the sons of deceased officers of the Auxiliary and Territorial armies whose widows are, or would have been, if living, eligible for pensions, into the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, at reduced fees; that in the present year new Regulations were issued by the Army Council which, as far as the Army is concerned, debar the sons of any but Regular officers from this privilege; whether this course was adopted in order to effect economy; and, if so, what is the estimated amount of the annual saving which will result from this change in the conditions of entry?
The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for WAR {Lieut.-Colonel Sir R. Sanders)The facts are as stated by my hon. and gallant Friend. It is impossible to state the exact saving which will be effected by the exclusion of the sons of deceased officers of the Auxiliary and Territorial armies from the privilege of reduced fees, but as regards the general effect of the new Regulations, there will be a saving spread over a number of years which, it is estimated, will reach £50,000 per annum at its maximum, assuming that the number of cadets at the Royal Military Academy and the Royal Military College remains the same as now.
§ Sir G. WILLSDoes the hon. Gentleman think that he has the opinion of the country behind him in effecting this economy at the expense of War widows, and will he consider the advisability of modifying the new Regulations so that they might at least apply to the sons of Territorial and Auxiliary officers who were mobilised in 1914 and who lost their lives in the War?
§ Sir R. SANDERSWith regard to the first part of the question, I am never convinced that we have the opinion of the country behind us in any economy. As to the second part of the question, the whole of the facts shall be very fully considered.
§ Major-General SEELYWill the hon. Gentleman undertake not to make this 2074 decision effective until the House has had some opportunity of expressing its opinion on this tiny economy which is causing such gross hardship on the very people whom the whole House wishes to protect? Will the hon. Gentleman represent that to the Secretary of State?
§ Sir R. SANDERSYes, I will make that representation to the Secretary of State.
§ 60. Lieut.-Colonel POWNALLasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider the possibility, in view of the reductions made recently in the Army and the fact that the accommodation at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, was greatly enlarged shortly before the War, of moving the Woolwich Academy to Sandhurst to occupy the older building there?
§ Sir R. SANDERSThis matter is already under consideration in connection with the general question of the training of candidates for commissions in the Regular Army.