§ Mr. ARTHUR LEEasked the Secretary of State for War whether the book entitled "Compulsory Service," written by General Sir Ian Hamilton and prefaced by an introduction by the Secretary of State for War, is in any sense an official work, or whether it is to be considered as merely expressing the personal views of the writers; and whether the permission granted to General Sir Ian Hamilton to publicly express his opinions upon controversial questions of military organisation will be extended to other officers on the active list who may hold views divergent from his and who may also wish to lay them before the country?
§ Major ARCHER-SHEEasked whether the opinions expressed in the memorandum entitled "Compulsory Service" represent the opinions of the officers of the General Staff at Headquarters, whose duty it is to advise upon the adequacy or otherwise of the military forces for Imperial defence?
§ Mr. HALDANEThe work in question is not an official publication. It was originally prepared by Sir Ian Hamilton as a memorandum containing his personal views for my private information, and subsequently I decided, with his concurrence, that it would be in the public interest to have the document published. As regards the last part of the question, this matter is governed by the King's Regulations, by which sanction may be given to an officer on the active list to make a communication to the Press if he previously submits the manuscript to the War Office for approval.