§ 4. Commander Scott-Millerasked the Secretary of State for War if he will provide his recruiting officers with information to enable them to state definitely to a would-be recruit that vacancies are, or are not, available in any particular trade for which the man applies, thus avoiding subsequent disappointmen
The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Antony Head):Recruiting officers are kept informed of vacancies in the various trades. It is not, however, possible to guarantee at the time of enlistment that a man will be employed in a particular trade, since the vacancies vary from day to day and, on testing after entry, a man may not qualify for the trade he wishes. Recruiting officers know this.
Commander Scott-Miller: Would not my right hon. Friend agree that it would not only be fairer to the recruit to be told definitely whether there is a vacancy but also a help to recruiting generally in encouraging volunteers to come forward?
§ Mr. HeadYes, Sir. It would be very good for recruiting and would please everybody, but unfortunately one cannot 1787 tell when a man is recruited, until he has been tested, whether he is competent for that particular trade.