§ 36. Sir Nicholas Grattan-Doyleasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has made any suggestion to the British Broadcasting Corporation that their assistance should be given to his Department in its task of obtaining recruits for the Regular Army and of increasing enlistments in the Territorial Army; and, if so, with what result?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe British Broadcasting Corporation has given repeated facilities for informing the public of activities in both the Regular and Territorial Armies, for which I would express gratitude.
§ 39. Major-General Sir Alfred Knoxasked the Secretary of State for War the number of applicants for enlistment in the Regular Army, and the number of these men accepted in each month from January, 1937, till the latest available date?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaAs the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. BuchananWill it be possible, in circulating this information, to include also the Parliamentary divisions from which the recruits come?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaIf the hon. Gentleman will put that question down, I will do my best to supply the information.
§ Following is the answer:
| Months. | Number of applicants for enlistment. | Months. | Number of recruits finally approved. | |||
| *Quarter ended 31st March, 1937 | 14,654 | January, 1937 | … | 3,548 | =7,116 | |
| February, 1937 | … | 1,917 | ||||
| March, 1937 | … | 1,651 | ||||
| *Quarter ended 30th June, 1937 | 11,663 | April, 1937 | … | 2,197 | =5,517 | |
| May, 1937 | … | 1,592 | ||||
| June, 1937 | … | 1,728 | ||||
| July, 1937 | … | … | 3,833 | July, 1937 | … | 1,905 |
| August, 1937 | … | … | 5,136 | August, 1937 | … | 2,466 |
| September, 1937 | … | … | 4,314 | September, 1937 | … | 2,243 |
| October, 1937 | … | … | 4,158 | October, 1937 | … | 2,333 |
| November, 1937 | … | … | 4,354 | November, 1937 | … | 2,635 |
| December, 1937 | … | … | 3,410 | December, 1937 | … | 1,879 |
| 1st to 29th January, 1938 | … | 7,301 | 1st to 29th January, 1937 | 4,547 | ||
| Totals | … | … | 58,823 | 30,641 | ||
| *Monthly figures of applicants for those two quarters are not available. |
§ 40. Sir A. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will enumerate the steps taken since the month of January, 1937, to render service in the Regular Army more attractive?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe information for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks is somewhat lengthy. I would refer him to columns 1901 to 1909 of Volume 321 of the OFFICIAL REPORT, and for further details I would ask him to await my Estimates for 1938.
§ Mr. Charles BrownMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his own appointment to the War Office was not one of the steps taken to this end, and are the results satisfactory?
§ 42. Mr. Dayasked the Secretary of State for War the number of persons recruited into the Army for the three months ended to the last convenient date; and what further steps are now suggested towards the problem of maintaining the strength of the Army?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaDuring the period 1st November, 1937, to 29th January, 1938, 9,061 recruits for the Regular Army were finally approved, being an increase of 32 per cent. on the figure for the corresponding period of the previous year. As regards the last part of the question, I trust the hon. Member will await the introduction of Army Estimates.
§ Mr. ThorneHow many more men does the right hon. Gentleman want to bring the Army up to full strength?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaAbout 20,000.
§ Mr. ThorneIs that all?