§ 9. Major-General Sir Alfred Knoxasked the Secretary of State for War the number of applicants for enlistment in the Regular Army in the quarter ended 31st March, 1938, and the number of these men approved as recruits; and how these figures compare with those for the corresponding months in 1937?
§ The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Hore-Belisha)The number of applicants for enlistment in the Regular Army in the first quarter of this year was 16,701. In the corresponding quarter of last year it was 13,830. The numbers accepted in these periods were 10,504 this year, and 7,116 last year.
§ Mr. KennedyHave the War Office any information regarding the number of applicants for enlistment who were unemployed at the time?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaI have not the information at the moment, but the majority of those who enlisted were in employment before they enlisted.
§ Mr. George GriffithsIs the Army attracting a better quality of men now that they are being given an increased wage, as shown on the tape to-day?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe quality of all people in this country is getting better and better.
§ Mr. GriffithsIs it because they are getting butter instead of margarine?
§ 10. Sir A. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for War what percentage of the applicants for enlistment were approved as recruits in the quarter ended 31st March, 1938; and how this figure compares with the percentage in the same quarter in 1937?
§ Mr. Hore-Belisha62.9 and 51.5, respectively.
§ Sir A. KnoxDoes that mean that the percentage of applicants accepted is going up; and does my right hon. Friend consider that by the end of the year he will have made up the present shortage in the armed forces?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe answer to the first half of the supplementary question is that the percentage of applicants has, I am glad to say, gone up. With regard to the future, I would not be so indiscreet as to be precise, but more and more men are enlisting every week as compared with last year.
§ Sir A. KnoxWill my right hon. Friend consider giving some further inducements in order to get the larger number of recruits which is still necessary in order to make up the shortage this year? Does he think he will reach the number of 54,000 recruits required this year to complete the establishment?
§ Mr. R. J. TaylorWould the percentage have been the same had the standard been maintained, instead of having been, as I understand, lowered?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaI could not say without notice, but I do not admit that the standard has been lowered. It has been revised in accordance with common sense, but that revision is not in itself responsible for the increase, which is a substantive increase.
§ 11. Sir A. Knoxasked the Secretary of State for War what number of men were approved as recruits in the first quarter of the present year who would not have been accepted under the standards, medical and otherwise, in force previous to last autumn?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe common sense changes which have been made in the medical and other standards for recruits 679 secured for the Army during the first quarter of this year an extra 1,733 men, out of a total of 10,504 accepted.
§ Sir A. KnoxDoes this number given by the right hon. Gentleman include the older men, who would not formerly have been accepted, and married men, as well as men with less qualifications as regards hearing and sight?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe statement I have made is a complete answer to the question that was put.
§ Captain HeilgersWhat percentage of these sub-standard recruits go to the Canterbury Depot?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThese are not substandard recruits. Those who have been to the Canterbury Depot passed into the Army on the full standard after receiving training. They are brought up to full standard, and are not included in these figures.
§ Mr. ThurtleDoes the right hon. Gentleman suggest that common sense was conspicuously lacking at the War Office until he went there?