HC Deb 27 March 1956 vol 550 cc1942-3
4. Mr. V. Yates

asked the Secretary of State for War the present weekly cost of maintaining a National Service man in this country and overseas, respectively.

Mr. Head

On average £6 8s. 0d. and £9 10s. 0d. respectively.

Mr. Yates

Does the right hon. Gentleman not recognise that those figures are lower than those which he gave two years ago? How does it come about that it now takes less to maintain a National Service man? In any case, is the cost not more than it costs to maintain a technological student, and would it not be a good thing to reduce this expenditure?

Mr. Head

That opens up the whole question of Her Majesty's Government's policy on defence and defence overseas, which scarcely arises on a supplementary question to this Question.