asked whether the cost of providing horse rugs for the horses of their units is still borne by the officers of the mounted units of the Regular Army; whether there is any immediate prospect of the Army Council removing this charge from the officers; and how many mounted units have adopted the suggestion of the Army Council that horses standing in stables during the winter do not require rugs at all?

The question of making an allowance for the provision of horse rugs is now under consideration.

How long do the War Office and Army Council intend to consider this question, which I asked a year ago, and to which I got the same answer?

We shall consider it until we have come to a conclusion. We shall come to a conclusion very soon in a sense which the hon. Gentleman will probably be pleased to see.

In considering this question, will the right hon. Gentleman make investigation to discover if there is any other Army in the world in which the officers have to do this instead of the State?

The question is not so simple as the Noble Lord seems to think. I will send him a memorandum about it.

Will the question be settled before next year's Estimates?

I hope so.