HC Deb 30 November 1960 vol 631 cc380-1
26. Commander Kerans

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty how much money was spent in aid of recruiting for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines in 1959 and 1960.

Mr. C. Ian Orr-Ewing

£201,163 was spent in the financial year 1959–60 on recruiting publicity, and the estimated expenditure for 1960–61 is £250,400. These figures include sums carried on the Central Office of Information and Stationery Office Votes. We are considering whether this sum can be increased further during the next financial year.

Commander Kerans

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that in the future the question of our recruiting very much depends on the money spent on advertising and things of that nature? Will he see that there is no reduction at any future date?

Mr. Orr-Ewing

I can give that undertaking. Perhaps I can send my hon. and gallant Friend some of our latest brochures, so that he can see for himself the high standard which we are achieving in our recruiting literature.

Mr. Paget

Does the hon. Gentleman accept that the level of our recruiting depends on the amount of advertising? Does it not really depend upon convincing the men that the Navy has an important job to do?

Mr. Orr-Ewing

Perhaps I may take this opportunity of congratulating the hon. and learned Gentleman upon his appointment to the Opposition Front Bench. I hope that he will be just as successful as was his predecessor, the hon. Member for Dunbartonshire, West (Mr. Steele). I agree with the last part of the hon. and learned Gentleman's first supplementary question put from his new position of responsibility. This is one of many factors. I was asked about advertising as one facet of our recruiting problem.