§ 28. General Sir Georģe Jeffreysasked the Secretary of State for War what is the number of officers now serving on War Emergency Commissions; whether there is any establishment of such officers; what is the number of such officers surplus to requirements; and whether the standard of efficiency required before, commissioning has 'been raised or lowered since the cessation of hostilities.
§ Mr. LawsonThe number of non-regular officers now serving is approximately 120,000. I regret that a separate figure for Emergency Commissioned officers is not readily available. There is no separate establishment for emergency commissioned officers, and, so far from there being a surplus of such officers, there is an overall deficiency. No change has been made in the standard of efficiency required before commissioning since the end of the war.
§ Sir G. JeffreysIs it not a fact that the standard of efficiency required is now definitely low, and, in view of the fact that the urgency which prevailed during the war as regards the supply of officers is now at an end, could not the standard be raised?
§ Mr. LawsonThat is a matter for consideration on the merits of the case. That is not the original Question which the hon. and gallant Gentleman put to me.
§ 29. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Secretary of State for War what provision is to be made for married quarters for regular soldiers holding emergency commissions who have re-engaged under King's Regulations, Appendix XXVII, paragraph 4.
§ Mr. LawsonOn reversion to the ranks all regular soldiers holding War Emergency Commissions will he entitled to married soldiers' quarters on equal terms with other married soldiers.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that at Catterick such men are denied officers' quarters on the ground that they have emergency commissions, and are denied warrant officers' quarters on the ground that they are officers? Can he take some steps to right that state of affairs?