§ 50. Commander BELLAIRSasked the Prime Minister whether the present 1305 Government endorses the documents adhered to by the two previous Governments that the fighting departments are to frame their estimates on the assumption that a great war is not to be anticipated for a specified term of years?
§ The PRIME MINISTERThe hon. and gallant Member is no doubt alluding to the instruction of the then Government given in the year 1919 and referred to in paragraph 2 of the Report on National Expenditure that the Estimates for the three Fighting Services were to be built up on the assumption that no great war Was to be anticipated for the next ten years, although provision should be made for the possible expansion of trained units in case of an emergency arising. The present Government have not had occasion specifically to revise that instruction.