§ 49. Mr. Stokesasked the Prime Minister whether he has any statement to make regarding the return of the Intendant-General from Cairo to this country; and whether-that post is now to be abolished?
§ The Prime MinisterYes, Sir. On the advice of the Minister of State, and with the concurrence of Sir Robert Raining himself, I approved the abolition of the post of Intendant-General early in January. The creation of the post of Minister of State some two months after the appointment of Sir Robert Haining and the provision of a senior Army Officer to be in charge, under the Commander-in-Chief, of the administration of the Army in the Middle East, removed the necessity for the co-existence of an Intendant-General. Sir Robert Haining's preparatory work has been of great value and has laid the foundations upon which the present organisations are now building.
§ Mr. StokesMay I ask whether, in fact, Sir Robert Haining went there to do a job of work, or whether he went there because he disagreed with the Minister of Defence over the ill-judged expedition to Greece?
§ The Prime MinisterA most unwarrantable and untruthful suggestion.