§ 7. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for War to what extent he has made improvements in the British system of Army training and administration as a result of studying the systems prevailing in Commonwealth and North Atlantic Treaty countries.
§ Mr. HeadThere is a constant exchange of information and experience with the armies of other countries of both the Commonwealth and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
§ Mr. SwinglerWould it not be worth while for the War Office to send a working party to tour the Commonwealth countries and the countries of our N.A.T.O. allies in order to study their methods of training and administration, and discover how it is that all these other countries are able either to dispense with conscription altogether or to maintain a very much Shorter period of compulsory service than we have in this country?
§ Mr. HeadThe correct answer to that question wouldbe very long. I would point out that these countries have sent considerable missions to find out how we run our schools and so on, and that the Commonwealth position regarding conscription is very different from our own.