§ 62. Mr. Lowasked the Secretary of State for War on what basis Regular officers and permanent staff are at present allocated to units of the Territorial Army; and when their number will be increased.
§ Mr. StracheyAt present, a limited number of Regular field officers are appointed, in accordance with Territorial Army permanent staff scales, to command major units where no suitable Territorial Army officer is available, or to act as second-in-command, in special cases where the unit is newly formed, or converted from another arm or where subunits are widely dispersed. In addition, appointments for adjutants and for quarter-masters are all filled by full-time officers, the majority of whom are Regular officers. The scale for permanent staff other ranks and civilians depends upon the type of unit and the number of subunits. New permanent staff scales, which are likely to give a substantial increase, are being prepared. I hope they will be ready shortly and I will place a copy of them in the Library of the House. They will provide a Regular field officer for every major unit in the Territorial Army.
§ Mr. LowIs the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that there will be enough members of the Regular Army to fill the places when this comes into operation?
§ Mr. StracheyThere are enough, of course, but whether there are enough to fulfil these and other duties is another matter.
§ 63. Mr. Lowasked the Secretary of State for War how many Regular officers and other ranks are at present serving with units of the Territorial Army; and how many it is estimated these numbers will be on 31st March, 1951.
§ Mr. StracheyOn 28th February, 1950, 1,483 Regular officers and 3,714 Regular other ranks were serving with units of the 37 Territorial Army. Until the new permanent staff scales now in preparation have been implemented, it will not be possible to estimate the numbers on 31st March, 1951.