§ 29. Mr. DAYasked the Secretary of State for War what general principles have been laid down by the Army Council to be operated in arranging programmes for military tattoos; can he state whether these permit the portraying of incidents which introduce new and experimental methods of warfare; and also the protective measures taken against poison gas by the civilian population?
Mr. COOPERThe general principles laid down by the Army Council are that no expense shall be involved to public funds, that the tattoos shall not interfere with military training, and that the items shall either exemplify skill at arms, drill and musical efficiency, or portray incidents connected with British military history prior to the Great War. As regards the second part of the question, the exhibition of new and experimental methods of warfare is forbidden, but in any event the protective measures to be taken by the civilian population against poison gas fall within the province of the Home Office, and I do not think their introduction into military displays of this nature would be appropriate.