HC Deb 27 June 1928 vol 219 cc519-21
35. Mr. R. RICHARDSON

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the strength of officers' training corps and of cadet corps in connection with secondary and public schools, and the age at which pupils are enrolled to membership of these corps?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

On the latest dates for which figures are available, the numbers of cadets in the junior division of the officers' training corps and the cadet corps were 34,085 and 49,841, respectively. Of these numbers, all cadets of the junior officers' training corps and 9,302 cadets of the cadet corps belonged to contingents furnished by public or secondary schools. The minimum ages at which boys are permitted to join the junior division of the officers' training corps and the cadet corps are 13 and 12 respectively.

Mr. RICHARDSON

Does the right hon. Gentleman mean to tell the House that boys 13 years of age are enrolled to be trained as officers?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

They are being trained in the junior officers' training corps.

36. Mr. RICHARDSON

asked the Secretary of State for War what amount of public money is paid by the War Office, or other Departments, towards assisting officers' training corps and cadets corps; under what conditions is this money, if any, paid; is it paid direct to local authorities or to the governors of individual schools; and is the payment confined to schools recognised as efficient by the Board of Education?

Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANS

The amounts included in Army Estimates, 1928, for the payment of grants to the junior division of the officers' training corps and the cadet corps are £37,700 and £10,250, respectively. The above amounts exclude assistance in kind such as the loan of camp equipment, etc. I am not aware that any payment is made to these corps by other Government Departments. Payment of the grants is made in the case of cadet corps to Territorial Army Associations, and in that of the junior division of the officers' training corps to the officer commanding the contingent. The conditions of such payment are laid down in the Regulations, from which I am sending the hon. Member the relevant extracts. He will also find much useful information on pages 60 to 63 of Army Estimates. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

Mr. THURTLE

Does the right hon. Gentleman think the expenditure of public money on training boys of 12 to be soldiers is in keeping with the lip service the Government pay to the cause of peace?

Mr. SPEAKER

That question does not arise.