§ Sir R. THOMASasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the recommendation of the Inchcape Committee in 1923 that the Western Command headquarters in 688W Quetta should be disbanded has not been acted upon; that there are 36 officers on this staff, who have little work to do and cost the Indian Government £50,000 a year; and whether it is intended soon to disband the Western Command and transfer its functions to the Baluchistan Command?
§ Earl WINTERTONThe Inchcape Committee did not mention the Western Command. The Committee recommended that the organisation of Commands should be "the minimum necessary to enable rapid transition to he made from peace to war conditions in the event of emergency." The Government of India, after revising the whole organisation in 1924 and again in 1926, satisfied my Noble Friend that for this purpose the retention of the Western Command is still necessary.