§ Mr. SMEDLEY CROOKEasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the members of the new defence corps in Birmingham, which is almost entirely made up of Great War ex-service men, are expected to parade every month and are asked to parade with the Territorials once a week for machine-gun practice; and whether, seeing that the condition for enrolment is 1455W that they should only be called on in case of war, he will make some small allowance for each drill attended, if only for travelling expenses, seeing that many live at considerable distances from the drill hall?
§ Sir V. WARRENDERThe regulations provide that personnel enrolled for duty with the National Defence Companies may be permitted to attend parades of the Territorial Army with which they are enrolled or registered, but participation in the peace activities of the Territorial Army must not involve any expenditure of public money. Attendance at the parades referred to by my hon. Friend is entirely voluntary, and while my right hon. Friend appreciates the public spirit and keenness of the members of the defence companies in Birmingham, he regrets that he is unable to adopt the suggestion put forward by my hon. Friend.