HC Deb 04 February 1970 vol 795 cc401-3
10. Mr. Gwilym Roberts

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will initiate a study into discrimination in liv- ing conditions, catering arrangements, leisure facilities and conditions generally in the Army, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force as between commissioned officers and other ranks; if he will take steps to remove this discrimination; and if he will make a statement.

71. Mr. Wellbeloved

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is aware of the detrimental effect on re-engagement caused by discrimination in living conditions, catering arrangements, leisure facilities and conditions generally in the Army, the Royal Navy, and the Royal Air Force as between commissioned officers and other ranks; if he will take steps to remove this discrimination; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Hattersley

I do not regard discrimination as an appropriate word by which to describe the differing terms and conditions of service which apply to the various ranks within the Armed Forces. All terms and conditions of service are under continuous review.

Mr. Roberts

Will not my hon Friend agree that one of our aims must be to reduce the class structure of our society, which is seen at its height in the Army; and that one method of doing this would be to allow people to mess together? If he does not believe that this discrimination exists, will he tell the House what proportion of the entry to Sandhurst comes from public schools, and what proportion of Guards officers have private incomes?

Mr. Hattersley

I do, in general, subscribe to the principle with which my hon. Friend began his supplementary question, but perhaps I may give him two examples to illustrate my reply. He was told in the House last Wednesday that 40 per cent. of the officers in the Royal Navy were promoted from the lower deck. Any comparable figure in a large industrial firm would be something in which we should all rejoice. The proportion of officers coming from public schools is about one in three, which is much less than the figure which my hon. Friend quoted in the newspapers—indeed, about 50 per cent. less.

Mr. Goodhew

Would the Minister like to post his hon. Friend the Member for Bedfordshire, South (Mr. Gwilym Roberts) to an R.A.F. station for a few weeks, where he would learn that the catering arrangements for the men there are better than those for the officers?

Mr. Wellbeloved rose

—

Mr. Speaker

Mr. Gwilym Roberts—No. 11.

Mr. Wellbeloved

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker

Order. Mr. Speaker does not automatically call Questions which appear later on the Order Paper.

Mr. Wellbeloved

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. The Minister said that he was taking Question No. 71 with this Question. Does it mean that when the Minister directly tells the House that with one Question he is taking a certain other Question, Mr. Speaker can decline to give the hon. Member with that other Question the right to put a supplementary question?

Mr. Speaker

It means exactly that. Mr. Roberts.