§ 61. Dr. Kingasked the Secretary of State for War the number of entrants to Sandhurst this year from public schools and from State secondary schools, respectively.
§ The Secretary of State for War (Mr. Christopher Soames)There are two entries to Sandhurst each year, in January and September. Of the 136 cadets who entered last January, 85 came from independent schools and 46 from schools wholly or partly maintained by local education authorities. The other five were educated overseas.
§ Dr. KingIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that these figures, at any rate, reveal a more satisfactory state of affairs in selection for Sandhurst than his hon. Friend's figures have shown in regard to 1196 the Royal Navy? Does he realise that most Members of the House want the best young lads to be officers in the three Armed Forces, whatever their social origin and whoever their parents may be, and that today's figures have revealed a disquieting state of affairs?
§ Mr. SoamesI do not think that anyone in the House would differ from what the hon. Gentleman said in the first part of his supplementary question.