§ 67. Sir WALTER SMILESasked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of time-expired soldiers of good character have been successful in finding regular employment for the year ending 31st December, 1935, or the nearest convenient date?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Sir Victor Warrender)A central register of time-expired soldiers showing if they secure employment is not maintained by the War Office, which has therefore to rely for information on the vocational training centres, on the Ministry of Labour and on voluntary associations. Such statistics as they can supply, however, must necessarily involve a considerable risk of overlap, and they make no distinction as between time-expired soldiers and ex-service men generally, or between men with, and those without, good characters.
§ Sir W. SMILESIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there is a danger that inability to secure such regular employment deters young men from joining the Army?
§ Sir V. WARRENDERThat is a matter which we have under close consideration.