§ 37. Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEasked the Secretary of State for War the establishment and present strength, respectively, of commissioned officers in the Royal Army Medical Corps, distinguishing between permanent and temporary commissions; the number of permanent and temporary commissions now available: and the number of applications received for them up to 19th January, 1931?
§ Mr. SHAWExcluding quartermasters, the establishment of officers of the Royal Army Medical Corps, Regular Army is 863. The number of officers at present in the Corps is 741, of whom 684 are regular officers, and the remaining 57 are temporary commissioned officers and retired officers who are employed to mitigate the shortage. There is no establishment for officers holding temporary commissions. Twenty-five vacancies for regular commissions in the Corps were offered last month but only five candidates have come forward. The number of applicants for temporary commissions is very small.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that 1617 that means that the Army is temporarily unfitted to take the field at the present time?
§ Mr. SHAWI recognise that the shortage of medical officers is grave, and the subject is and has been receiving very earnest consideration.
§ Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLEThat is the same answer which successive Secretaries of State for War have given in this House.