§ 11. Mr. Sorensenasked the Secretary of State for War how many young men under the age of 18 are now serving in His Majesty's Army; and for how many he has had applications or appeals for their discharge?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe minimum age for enlistment as men is 18 years, and I have no means of knowing how many younger than this have overstated their age. I cannot answer the last part of the question without writing to all Commands, but the number discharged as under-age during the last financial year was 521.
§ Mr. SorensenCould not the right hon. Gentleman take further pains to discover approximately how many applications have been made, and, in view of the anxiety which exists, does he not think that it would be in the best interests of the Army that where youths have enlisted under age, they should be discharged at the request of their parents?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe number discharged under age during the last financial year was 521. I cannot see that anything very much in the public interest would be served in going through every letter that has ever been written by way of application. If there were any public 1561 interest involved, I would, of course, put the general officers commanding to that trouble.
§ Mr. SorensenDoes not the right hon. Gentleman recognise that 521 represents a very small section of those for whom applications have been made?