HC Deb 22 November 1949 vol 470 cc174-5
11. Major Tufton Beamish

asked the Secretary of State for War how many candidates sat for the Civil Service Commissioners Army Entrance Examination during the May-October period; how many candidates were successful in the written examination; how many have been accepted for entrance to the Royal Military Academy; how this compares with the eight previous periods; and what action will be taken to encourage sufficient candidates to come forward in future.

Mr. M. Stewart

As the answer involves a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Major Beamish

Does the Minister recollect that some three weeks ago his right hon. Friend, in reply to an inspired Question, sought to prove how many benefits had been conferred on Army officers? Is not the proof of the pudding in the eating, and does not the Minister agree that the shortage of potential officers is an extremely grave matter?

Mr. Stewart

I think the hon. and gallant Member should first study the answer which will appear in the OFFICIAL REPORT, from which he will see that the number of candidates—when it is fully known for this year, which it is not yet—will compare favourably with that of previous years.

Major Legge-Bourke

Will the hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the original Question and say what steps are being taken to encourage recruitment?

Mr. Stewart

We are arranging talks to individual classes and meetings between headmasters and senior officers at the War Office and the Royal Military Academy. It is mainly by approaches to schools of that kind that we are likely to get useful results.

Following is the answer:

The number of Civil Service Commissioners examinations a year was increased in 1949 from two to three.

Date of Army Entrance Examination Sat Qualified at written examination Accepted for entry to Sandhurst
December, 1946 … … … … 476 275 173 173
June, 1947 … … … … 531 271 164 318
December, 1947 … … … … 371 234 154
June, 1948 … … … … 399 276 148 264
December, 1948 … … … … 241 174 116
February, 1949 … … … … 305 237 136 233
May, 1949 … … … … 243 167 97
October, 1949 … … … … 250 not yet known not yet known

The figures for accepted candidates, taking account of the number likely to be accepted from the October examination, show that the position arising in regard to the 1949 examinations is no worse than in previous years. Nevertheless, steps are being taken to increase the existing publicity given to the attractions of a Regular officer's career by talks given to individual schools and meetings of headmasters by senior officers of the War Office and the Royal Military Academy.