§ 23. Mr. Wilson Harrisasked the Secretary of State for War what was the in- 206 cidence of venereal disease in the British Army in Britain in 1938; what it is in the British Army in Britain today; and in the British Army of Occupation in Germany today.
§ Mr. Bellengerthe annual rate per 1,000 troops in the British Army in Britain recorded during 1938 was 11.7. In 1946 the annual rate per 1,000 troops in Britain was 32.8 and in B.A.O.R. 158.6. The quarterly rate for the first quarter of 1947 was 5.3 per 1,000 in Britain and 30 per 1,000 in B.A.O.R. This is slightly lower than for the corresponding quarter of 1946 in Britain but approximately the same in B.A.O.R.
§ Mr. Wilson HarrisDoes the right hon. Gentleman think it right that boys of 18 and 19 should be sent to Germany in the conditions shown to be prevailing there? What steps is he taking or can he take to avoid this happening?
§ Mr. BellengerIn answer to the first part of the question, I have no option as long as we have to maintain military occupation in Germany. As regards the second part of the Question, I am taking all possible steps, and so is the General Officer Commanding out there, to improve the morale of the troops; but I am bound to say that conclusions—and sometimes false conclusions—are drawn from these figures. In 1938 there was probably less recording of cases than there was in 1946, and modern medical practice, which treats the case much more quickly than it did in 1938, probably accounts in part for the apparently higher incidence of cases.
§ Mr. Wilson HarrisWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the figures for 1947 speak for themselves quite irrespective of 1938?
§ Mr. BellengerI certainly deprecate these figures and I am taking all steps possible to improve them, but I ask the House not to draw too wide conclusions from the figures. We are never asked these questions about the civilian population.