12. Mr. Handingasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will now make a statement on recruitment for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines and the progress made in the last year on persuading serving men and women in these services to accept re-engagement.
§ The Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy (Mr. J. P. W. Mallalieu)Recruiting is still running at an annual rate a little better than 7,500, the same as last year. We seem at last to have stopped the downward trend of re-engagement rates. These remain at about the 45 per cent. level for 12-year men, and about 25 per cent. for 9-year men.