§ 18. Mr. OSWALD LEWISasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office when he hopes to be in a position to announce the decision of the Army Council with regard to the promotion situation in the Army Educational Corps, which was the subject of a committee of inquiry appointed nearly two years ago who issued their report as long ago as last March?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Douglas Hacking)I am now in a position to make a statement. It has been found impossible to effect any marked improvement in the flow of promotion of officers in the Army Educational Corps without undue expenditure of money. The block which exists in promotion to Major and above is largely due to the fact that there are many officers in the corps considerably younger than their juniors, and it is impossible to rectify this irregular age distribution by the method of inviting officers to retire on special terms. The position is fundamentally different from that which existed in the infantry and the royal artillery where the block in promotion was largely the result of the abnormal numbers of officers given commissions during the War at much the same age. The prospects of the officers in the corps were much improved in 1931, when time promotion to captain was introduced, and the promotion position will be alleviated now to a certain extent by an increase of two which is being made in the establishment of majors.
§ Mr. LEWISIf the Financial Secretary to the War Office is not prepared to do anything more for these unfortunate officers will he publish the report of the Committee of Inquiry?
§ Mr. HACKINGNo. The Committee of Inquiry was a private inquiry and the report was made to the Secretary of State.