§ 11. Brigadier Lowasked the Secretary of State for War how many of those who are at present serving on normal Regular engagements and on short-service engagements, respectively, are serving in the R.A., R.A.C., R.E., Royal Signals or infantry; and how many in other branches of the Services.
§ Mr. BellengerIt would be contrary to present policy to give information about the detailed composition of the Army.
§ Brigadier LowDoes not the right hon. Gentleman remember that his hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary gave that information for the whole of the Army when replying to the Debate on the Army Estimates? Why is it, if his hon. Friend is allowed to give the figure for the whole of the Army, he is not allowed to give it for a part of the Army? Does that not make nonsense?
§ Mr. BellengerI should not like to reply to that observation without examining what my hon. Friend said.
§ Earl WintertonIs there any precedent, in relation to any previous war, that two years after it has ended, information which has always been available to the House has not been given? Will the right hon. Gentleman give some reason?
§ Mr. BellengerThe noble Lord will know that I have undertaken to see whether more information can be given in the Estimates next year. I am looking into that now, but I must remind the right hon. Gentleman that although before the war we gave a lot of information which was of value to the House, it was also of value to those outside the House.