asked the Secretary of State for War what uniform allowances are given to officers in the Territorial Army; and if he will give an assurance that all officers who joined or rejoined the Territorial Army since 1945 are eligible for these allowances.

As from 3rd November, 1948, Territorial Army Officers have received the following initial uniform allowances: £21 if commissioned for the first time or if joining more than four years after previous military commissioned service; £10 10s. if joining with a break from previous military commissioned service of between one and four years. No uniform allowance is granted if such a break in service is less than one year. Before 3rd November, 1948, all Territorial Army officers received an initial outfit allowance of £7 10s. I am not prepared to make officers who joined or rejoined the Territorial Army before 3rd November, 1948, eligible for the rates and conditions of uniform allowance which became operative from that date.

Would the right hon. Gentleman explain to the House why he wants to penalise those people who answered his call earlier? Why cannot he make this increased grant, which was welcomed by everybody, retrospective? What is the difference?

They have the advantage of not having been too long separated from actual service and, therefore, they had the uniform in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will now state the strength of Territorial Army personnel in the Anti-Aircraft Command; and the Territorial Army Establishment for that Command.

Since I answered a previous question by the hon. Member on this subject last Tuesday, I have looked further into this matter. It is quite true that in an answer which was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT On 2nd March, 1948, the provisional Territorial establishment and the strength of Anti-Aircraft Command at that date were given, hut, since then, as I have already explained to the hon. Member, the question has been further considered very carefully from the point of view of security, and we have decided that it would not be in the public interest to continue to publish the figures of this Command separately.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this time last week he said he would give the figures if I put a question down? What has happened between last Tuesday and today which has made security so very important?

Oh, no, I said nothing of the sort. I was not quite so definite as that. Ali I did was to promise to furnish what information I thought should be furnished

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the increasing disappointment of Territorial Army officers at the continuing delay in the announcement of the conditions governing the award of the efficiency decoration and medal; why it has not been possible to make an announcement on this matter early in the New Year, as promised; and when the announcement will be made.

I regret the delay in this matter, but following the consultations with other Commonwealth countries, mentioned in answer to a previous question by the hon. and gallant Member, a number of points of detail remained to be settled. I hope that it will be possible to make an announcement in the course of the next few weeks.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this disappointment is shared by other ranks, as well as officers, who at present find that it takes about two years to establish a claim for a Territorial medal? Will he look closely at the claims of the Territorial Army Nursing Service in this regard?

I am as anxious to have this matter expedited as the hon. Member. There has been some difficulty about it, very largely in relation to the preparation for the Royal Warrant, but I hope to have it settled in a few weeks' time.