§ Mr. J. Dugdaleasked the Under-Secretary of State for War the number of returns dispensed with as unnecessary during the past six months; and whether, in particular, the return of the number of communicants each week and the estimate of the number of omnibus tickets required during the next six months are Still called for by the War Office?
Major HendersonThe success achieved in reducing the burden of work which returns impose on all military offices cannot be summarised correctly by any single figure of "returns dispensed with." As the hon. Member will appreciate, the number of returns required varies for every different type of unit, and also varies even amongst units of the same type, according to their location. A fair and typical figures was, however, that recently given by my right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State for War in his statement on Army Estimates on 19th February, i.e., that an average reduction of 30 per cent. has been achieved in the number of returns submitted by infantry battalions. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the negative.