§ Mr. NIELDasked the Under-Secretary for War (1) whether the military qualification which solely decide the question of the promotion of an officer to command, are such as are prescribed by the Territorial Force Regulations alone; or, if not, by what other Regulations; (2) whether a commanding officer of a Territorial battalion is justified in calling upon an officer to resign upon whom he has reported adversely, but who is full qualified according to Regulations, and whom higher authorities have described as hardworking, zealous painstaking, and attentive to his duties; (3) whether he is aware that capable and meritorious officers in the Territorial Force, who are fully qualified in accordance with the Regulations and reported upon as zealous, hardworking, and attentive to duties, are being passed over for command on the confidential reports of the officer commanding that the officers had their limitations, without any indication or particulars as to what such phrase refers; and, if so, will he state what action ho proposes to take in the matter; and (4) whether it is in accordance with the Regulations that an officer who is prevented from attending annual training through ill-health (first absence during his services of twenty years) should be reported upon adversely and the report endorsed by the general officer commanding, who had never seen him during the time he had taken over the command, and who recommended a junior to succeed 178W him, although the officer concerned was fully qualified according to the Regulations?
§ Mr. TENNANTThe hon. Member is apparently referring to the particular case of some officer. If he will kindly let me have particulars I will cause inquiries to be made.