§ Mr. Parkerasked the Secretary of State for War why, under Army Coucil Instruction 422 of 1942, officers turned 55 years of age, who are classified T and who appeal to the Army Council against relegation to civil life, have no right to see and to reply to the evidence of the officers reporting them?
§ Sir J. GriggUnder this Army Council Instruction officers of the rank of lieutenant-colonel and below who were over 55 on 31st December, 1941, were classified as T unless there were special reasons, which had to be precisely stated, to justify their retention. An officer so classified was shown the report and he had the right of appeal to the Army Council against this decision. This enabled him to state any further facts in his case which he thought should be considered and which actually would be considered by the Army Council when dealing with his appeal. His suitability for further employment was then re-examined, and to enable this to be done his appeal was sent to the commanding officer, who had reported on him originally, for further consideration. The Army Council thereupon decided whether the officer's appeal1036W succeeded or failed. It would be contrary to the normal practice in the case of appeals to allow the officer to comment once again on a report rendered on him. Nothing would be gained by doing so and a decision might be protracted indefinitely. I might add that no report rendered under this Army Council Instruction is regarded as adverse and no discredit attaches to the officer reported on.