§ 60. Mr. DAYasked the Secretary of State for War what is the deficiency in the authorised establishment of the Royal Army Medical Corps; and whether he can give the reason for this shortage?
Mr. COOPERThe deficiency is 60 officers and 309 other ranks. As regards officers, the shortage, which is being temporarily met by the employment of 38 temporary commissioned officers and a number of civilian medical practitioners, is a considerable improvement on the deficiency of 97 which existed when the present conditions of service came into operation two years ago, and I have every reason to hope that it will be made good at no distant date. The reason for the shortage must, of course, be a matter of opinion, but in the case of other ranks, it is accentuated by a recent increase of 169 in the establishment.