§ 12. Mr. De la Bereasked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the number of public relations and Press officers at the War Office, which was given in the official record in May, 1942, as 356 at a cost of £112,370, he can state what the increase or decrease has been in May, 1943; and whether the future policy of the War Office will be to reduce both the number and cost?
§ The Secretary of State for War (Sir James Grigg)The net reduction in numbers since May, 1942, is 63. The future policy is under review.
§ Mr. De la BereCan my right hon. Friend tell me what is even now the necessity for such a very large number of people being employed by the War Office on this work, and can he say how many of this number are of military age? Is it not possible to get them reduced to a reasonable number? It is a very bad example.
§ Sir J. GriggI have answered Questions with regard to military age, but if the hon. Members wants the up-to-date figures, I would ask him to put a Question down. As regards the other part of the supplementary, I said that the future policy is under review, but I would like to point out that most of the complaints against the War Office are that the Army is not getting enough publicity.
§ Mr. De la BereThe number is very large indeed.