§ MR. ASHLEYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War what number of unemployed have availed themselves of his offer of service in the Special Reserve.
§ MR. HALDANEThe number of recruits for the Special Reserve between 16th January and 1st October was 17,781; from that date to 1st November was 3,372; and from that date to 28th November, the latest date for which figures are available, was 2,748; amounting in all to 23,901. I assume that every recruit offering himself for the Special Reserve is at the time unemployed.
§ MR. ASHLEYMay I ask whether at this rate of recruiting the Special Reserve will be filled up in a few months?
§ MR. HALDANEWell, recruiting is going on at the rate of 1,400 or 1,500 a fortnight.