§ 31. Miss Wilkinsonasked the Secretary of State for War how many county commandants have been appointed in the Auxiliary Territorial Service; how many of these are titled; in how many have the qualifications possessed by their husbands been taken into consideration; and how many have professionial or organising training?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaFifty-nine chief or senior commandants have been appointed, on the recommendation of the presidents of the Territorial Army County Associations, who assessed their qualifications. Twenty-one are titled.
§ Miss WilkinsonThat is not an answer to my question.
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe other part of the hon. Lady's question is whether they are appointed on the qualifications of their husbands? I think not.
§ Mr. Anstruther-GrayWill the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the possession of a husband is a qualification which greatly adds to the usefulness of any lady?
§ Miss WilkinsonWhile appreciating the testimonial of the hon. Member to himself, may I ask whether the Minister thinks that a proportion of 40 per cent. of officers chosen from a very narrow social set is a wise thing in a force which is expected to be a national force, and whether he expects the qualifications of a good Mayfair hostess are the sort of qualifications needed for posts of this kind?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaI think grave injustice is done to these public-spirited ladies who are giving their time to the service of the country to say that they suffer from some disqualification. These ladies are being appointed all over the country and are in no sense representative of one social order of society.
Viscountess AstorMay I ask if the hon. Member for Jarrow (Miss Wilkinson) is doing all she can to get Labour women into this service?
§ Miss WilkinsonNot while they are in the hands of a social set like yours.
§ 32. Miss Wilkinsonasked the Secretary of State for War, why there is no space provided or question asked on the Auxiliary Territorial Service enlistment form for the applicant to state her present occupation, or particulars of training; and, whether, as it is imposible to make use of applicants' abilities if no record is taken of any of their qualifications, space for this information will in future be provided on the form of application?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaIn the enrolment form for members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service there is a space provided 672 for the applicant to state her vocation, and to give particulars of "any other training or knowledge which would be of value to the nation in an emergency."
§ Miss WilkinsonMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether there are two sets of forms at the War Office, because the form which I obtained in the ordinary way three days ago contains no question whatsoever asking what the applicant's qualifications are? What is the use of the right hon. Gentleman coming here and saying things which are not true?
§ Mr. SpeakerI think the hon. Lady should withdraw that statement.
§ Miss WilkinsonWill the right hon. Gentleman kindly tell me—
§ Mr. SpeakerBefore she continues, the hon. Lady must withdraw her statement.
§ Mr. ThorneCan you, Sir, guarantee that every Minister tells the truth in this House?
§ Mr. SpeakerI cannot guarantee anything.
§ Miss WilkinsonOut of respect to you, Mr. Speaker, I am willing to do anything you ask me to do, but I only say that it is a little unfortunate if we are to have statements made which are not borne out by the printed forms of the War Office.
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Lady knows that it is not right to accuse a Minister or any hon. Member of saying what is untrue.
§ Miss WilkinsonBut why do they do it?
§ Mr. T. JohnstonMay I direct your attention to the fact that an hon. Member opposite only a few moments ago accused the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland (Mr. Dalton) of making a false statement?
§ Mr. SpeakerThe hon. Lady must withdraw her remark.
§ Miss WilkinsonOut of respect for you, Mr. Speaker, I will withdraw the remark, but it is only out of respect for you.
§ At the end of Questions—
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaI regret to trouble the House with a purely personal matter, but the hon. Lady the Member for Jarrow (Miss Wilkinson) asked me a Question, 673 No. 32, and in answering that question I said:
In the enrolment form for members of the Auxiliary Territorial Service there is a space provided for the applicant to state her vocation, and to give particulars of ' any other training or knowledge which would be of value to the nation in an emergency.'The hon. Lady said that, in giving that answer, I was stating what was not true. I have sent for a copy of Army Form E.511, which is the form of enrolment in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, and it appears that the answer that I gave is exactly true. I think there must have been some misapprehension in the hon. Lady's mind when she said that I was stating what was not true. I am quite prepared to believe that she had in mind some other form, but the form about which I was speaking, and about which she asked me the question, does contain the words to which I referred in answering her question.