Captain EVANSasked the Under-Secretary of State for War, whether, in view of the precedent set up by the immediate publication of the Report of the Geddes Committee on Economy, he will consider the publication of those parts of the Report of Lord Weir's Committee on Establishments which relate to the possibility of effecting economies in administration, in view of the very great importance attached to such recommendations?
Lieut.-Colonel GUINNESSI would refer to the replies already given during the last few days. The Report, which is dated 8th May, was rendered to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and was forwarded to the War Office by the Treasury on 23rd June. Its recommendations are under consideration by the Army Council at the present moment, but in view of their variety I am not yet in a position to state which of them will be adopted. I regret I cannot agree that the publication of the Report of the Committee on National Expenditure constitutes a precedent which is applicable in the present case. The Government must adhere to their decision not to publish the Report, which contains information on questions of national security, the disclosure of which would be detrimental to the public interest.