HC Deb 19 February 1969 vol 778 cc448-9
12. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is now the shortfall in Army recruiting; and what action he is now taking to secure an improvement.

Mr. Boyden

Allowing for recruit wastage there will be a shortfall of about 9,000 adult males on 1st April, 1969. I shall shortly be announcing measures to improve recruiting and, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, the pay of the Forces is now being reviewed by the National Board on Prices and Incomes.

Mr. Boyd-Carpenter

Does the hon. Gentleman now appreciate that a great deal of the shortfall is due both to the Government's attitude of discouragement towards the voluntary forces and their deliberate destruction of famous regiments with fine military tradition? Will he give assurance that, whatever steps the Government are to take, they will include a revision of these decisions and that their decisions will be given first to the House and not, as in the case of the three-year recruiting period, to the Press?

Mr. Boyden

No, Sir. There will be plenty of opportunity for debating this in the very near future. Far from accepting what the right hon. Gentleman says, some hon. Gentlemen on his side of the House have, by their constant criticism of the Forces, to take some responsibility for this shortfall.

Mr. Whitaker

As to the recruits with which we are helping to defend certain sheikhly countries in the Persian Gulf, in view of the petty-minded anti-Semitic restrictions which these countries have placed on them, instead of being grateful, will he give a firm statement that we will withdraw troops from defending these countries unless they stop these racialist activities?

Mr. Speaker

Order.

Mr. Younger

How can the Minister be surprised recruiting is so bad when he continually destroys the regiments which produce the most recruits? Is he not aware that last year the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders produced nearly 40 per cent. of recruits to the Highland Regiments alone? Will he in his measures to improve recruiting reprieve that regiment from the axe?

Mr. Boyden

That is misleading, as I shall tell the hon. Gentleman in answer to a later Question.

Mr. Ramsden

Is it not a fact that so long as the Government dilly-dally and fail to introduce measures to increase Forces' pay, the effect of this is deliberately to repress the level of recruits, since Forces rates are held way below comparable civilian rates? Is this not scandalous in view of the present shortage—

Mr. Speaker

Order. There are Questions on Forces' pay later. We should not anticipate Questions.