§ 71. Captain CUNNINGHAM - REIDasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office how many majors of the Royal Artillery, whose last command was in coast defence artillery, were promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and how many were superseded for promotion to that rank during 1934?
§ Mir. HACKINGThe figures are two and five respectively.
§ 72. Captain CUNNINGHAM - REIDasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office how many, and what percentage of, lieutenant-colonel's commands of Royal Artillery in defended ports outside the United Kingdom are held by officers who previous to receiving these appointments had had no regimental experience in coast defence artillery; the equivalent figure for those officers who had had no regimental experience in coast defence artillery since the War of 1914–18; and when were these appointments made?
§ Mr. HACKINGThe answer to the first part of the question is four officers or 36.3 per cent, of the whole. The answer to the second part is six officers or 54.5 per cent. The latter six officers were appointed between April, 1933, and December, 1934.
§ Captain CUNNINGHAM-REIDDoes the right hon. Gentleman consider that the selection board have carried out their duties in accordance with paragraphs 163 and 165 of the King's Regulations?
§ Mr. HACKINGI would rather look at those regulations before giving a definite answer, but I do say that the selections are made from the pool of officers as a whole.
§ Captain CUNNINGHAM-REIDIs it not the case that the regulations in question deal with the necessary qualifications for promotion and that they do not seem to have been carried out in this case?
§ Mr. HACKINGI think they have been carried out, but it is quite impossible to give promotion to every major, and the best are selected.