Part of Oral Answers to Questions — British Army – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 5 June 1945.
The Secretary of State for War (Sir James Griģģ):
Owing to the expansion of the army and the relative shortage of instruments and musicians, it is considered better to pool the existing bands for the benefit of the Army as a whole and not necessarily to attach them to the regiments with which they are associated. Nine bands are at present permanently stationed with the B.L.A., and five are there on tour.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
