Dr. Bennettasked the Minister of Defence if he is aware that the Imperial Defence College reserved almost the whole of the first-class accommodation on the 7.20 p.m. train from Portsmouth Harbour on Monday, 18th July, and that the number of officers occupying the 12 compartments was 19 in all; and if he will instruct his Department not to reserve accommodation on a scale disproportionate to its requirements.
§ Mr. WatkinsonAccommodation on this train was reserved for 48 officers from the Imperial Defence College who attended exercise "Shop Window" at Portsmouth. The exercise finished an hour earlier than had been expected and a number of officers decided to return by other means rather than wait for the train. Unfortunately, the leader of the party did not notify the railway authorities, as he should have done, that the seats would not be taken up. I will see that this does not happen again.