§ 28. Mr. Shinwellasked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the latest recruitment figures.
§ Mr. SoamesThe figure for the Army for the month of May is 2,480 compared with 2,169 in April. Full details covering all three Services will be published this afternoon in the normal way.
§ Mr. ShinwellDoes not the right hon. Gentleman have any anxiety about the figures? Are they coming up to expectations? If not, what does he propose to do about it?
§ Mr. SoamesProjecting the recruiting figures forward to the end of 1962, we have no reason to alter the opinion of either myself or my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence, which has been frequently stated in the House, that we will achieve an all-Regular Army of 165,000 in the early days of 1963.
§ Mr. ShinwellIs not the right hon. Gentleman making assumptions which are not justifiable on the facts and figures? Are the recruiting figures coming up to expectations or are they below expectations? Surely it is upon the basis of those figures that we make our estimates.
§ Mr. SoamesThis has been worked out on the basis of facts and figures and 440 not on the basis of assumptions and guesses as to what will happen in the next months or years.
§ Viscount HinchingbrookeAre our defence commitments fitted to recruiting figures or vice versa?
§ Mr. SoamesRecruiting figures of voluntary service must be regulated by the number of men who are prepared to come forward and join the Army.