§ 56. Mr. Wyattasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now arrange to disband the Home Guard, in view of the fact that he has already issued instructions for Home Guard training to be reduced to a minimum, and in view of the continued failure to obtain the required number of recruits.
§ Mr. F. MacleanNo, Sir. The War Office has issued no such instructions, and the strength of the Home Guard continues to increase.
§ Mr. WyattIs not the Minister aware that Major Moore, commanding A Company, 12th Essex Battalion Home Guard, gave as his explicit reason for resigning the fact that he had received instructions from the War Office that training had to be curtailed to the minimum? Is he also aware that the few people who have volunteered for the Home Guard are very dissatisfied about the lack of attention given by the War Office?
§ Mr. MacleanAs regards the specific case to which the hon. Member has referred, he must surely realise that the training periods of units are curtailed or increased in individual cases. Because one officer is dissatisfied does not prove there is anything the matter with the Home Guard as a whole. Indeed, the figures show very much the opposite.