ARMY AND AIR FORCE (ANNUAL) BILL. (Hansard, 10 April 1922)

THE UNDER-SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR (LORD GORELL)

My Lords, when this Bill was in your Lordships' 138 House last year the noble Lord who moved the Second Reading referred to the fact that the Bill comprised both the Army and the Air Force. At that time finality of decision with regard to a separate Air Force had not been reached, and it had been hoped that it might have been possible to confirm that separateness by having an annual Bill for the Army and a separate Bill for the Air Force. Owing to the amount of public business to be despatched, that has not been possible this year, but it may be hoped that it will be on a subsequent occasion.

I do not think it is necessary to go into the clauses at great length, though I can do so on the Committee stage if any of your Lordships desire. The Amendments are not of any great moment. There is an Amendment in Clauses 4 and 5 for the purpose of removing an anomaly under which, at the present moment, any officer whose promotion depends on his length of service does not suffer any real punishment when he comes before a Court Martial by the loss of his relative seniority. An Amendment to the Army Act is included to enable the Army Council to impose the penalty of forfeiture of service. Under Clauses 6 and 7, the first for the Army and the second for the Air Force, Amendments are included bringing the practice in the Army and in the Ail Force into line with that of the Admiralty with regard to the enlistment of boys under eighteen, in order to enable the twelve years' enlistment to run from the time they reach eighteen. Clause 8 is included to bring the law into line with the present practice. Under the present form of attestation there is power to retain a soldier in the colour service for an extra year if he is serving abroad at the time when he would otherwise have been transferred to the Reserve. This places it on a basis of law. I beg to move.