HC Deb 31 May 1967 vol 747 cc84-5
32. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a further statement on the average cost per man per day involved in maintaining a private soldier in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Boyden

In answer to a Question on 12th April, I told the right hon. Gentleman that the average cost was £3 12s. a day. I regret that there had been a typing error and the correct answer is £3 2s. I am sorry for any inconvenience or misunderstanding that this may have caused.—[Vol. 744, c. 1200.]

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that correction and his courtesy in notifying me of the error. When capital sums are also taken into account, is it not clear that there is no economy whatever in withdrawing troops from Malta to the United Kingdom?

Mr. Boyden

My right hon. Friend has dealt with this thoroughly on previous occasions. The answer is: yes, there are considerable economies.

Mr. Powell

Is it not most inefficient and improper that a material error in an Answer given in this House should not be corrected nor the attention of the Member to whom it was given drawn to the error until nearly a month has elapsed?

Mr. Boyden

I told the right hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter) immediately it was drawn to my attention—[HON. MEMBERS: "When?"] I think 12 days later—and the Department certainly took every step to correct the error and bring it to my attention. Naturally I am sorry for it, but one cannot avoid typing errors sometimes. No one in the House jumped on me to say that the figure was so manifestly absurd as to require a correction.

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