HC Deb 15 February 1955 vol 537 cc170-1
15. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for War his latest estimate of the proportion of men originally volunteering for a three-year engagement with the Colours who are extending their period of service.

Mr. Head

By May, as a result of a special examination, we shall know how many of the men enlisted between 1st November,1951, and 31st March, 1952, have decided to prolong their service. In the meantime, we cannot make any reliable estimate because, without this special inquiry, it is impossible to relate the prolongations so far recorded to the dates of enlistment.

Mr. Swingler

The right hon. Gentleman is aware of the number of men who signed on for three years over three years ago. Why is it not possible, taking, for example, the men who signed on between October and December of 1951, to discover what proportion has decided to pro-long the period of service, which would give some indication of the number likely to do so in the future and the possibility of fulfilling the Minister's hope?

Mr. Head

First, the period did not start in October. It did not start until November. Secondly, and more important, it is impossible by our present system of statistics to tell whether a man who has prolonged was one within the November, December, January period, or whether he is a man on a three-year engagement who has prolonged his engagement earlier. It can be done in any period within the three-year engagement.

Mr. Bellenger

May I ask whether it is a fact that a man has to give six months' notice of his intention to prolong his service?

Mr. Head

Yes, Sir, that is entirely the case, but that is with the 22-year engagement which started in May, 1952.

Mr. Wigg

On a point of order. The right hon. Gentleman, unwittingly or not, has grossly misled the House. Is it not a fact that a soldier does not have to give notice to prolong his engagement but if he wishes to go out?

Mr. Head

I am sorry; I was answering in the terms of the supplementary question. A man who decides not to go on and who has engaged on a 22-year engagement must give notice that he does not wish to go on six months before. The hon. Gentleman is perfectly correct, and I am obliged to him.

Mr. Bellenger

The right hon. Gentleman himself is very interested in this matter, as he introduced this short period engagement to try to get recruits. Surely he can take the House a little more into his confidence and tell us what information he has? If it is not three months, that is to say, from October to December, surely he can tell us what has happened between November and December, 1951?

Mr. Head

I should like to take the House fully into my confidence; it is a matter of great interest to me and to the whole House. The point is that any man who joins on a three-year engagement can prolong it at any time. Without the special inquiry to which I referred, there is no way of telling whether it is a man in the November, December, January period or whether it is a man who joined on a three-year engagement between November, 1951, and now. The figures would have to be specially separated and analysed for those particular periods.