HL Deb 26 May 1954 vol 187 cc939-40
LORD ROCHDALE

My Lords, I beg to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government if and when they propose to issue No. 1 Dress to volunteer other rank members of the Territorial Army.]

EARL FORTESCUE

My Lords, the objective of Her Majesty's Government is to provide No. 1 Dress for both the Regular and Territorial Armies by stages, as the necessary funds can be made available. At present, provision is being confined to completing the requirements of the Regular Army.

LORD ROCHDALE

My Lords, I am grateful to my noble friend for that answer, from which I gather that the difficulty is a question of funds. No one is more conscious of the importance of cutting down expenditure than I am, but perhaps I may ask my noble friend whether consideration has been given to the possibility of saving certain expenditure which is now made on the Territorial Army in other directions, in order that the issue of No. 1 Dress may be speeded up. May I also ask my noble friend, bearing in mind what I have just said, whether he does not think that the issue of No. 1 Dress would have a stimulating effect on National Servicemen when they are considering reverting to volunteer status.

EARL FORTESCUE

My Lords, in reply to the noble Lord, Lord Rochdale, I can say that it is the hope of my right honourable friend to get on with the provision of No. 1 Dress for the Territorial Army as soon as possible, but the question is entirely one of finance. I hope the noble Lord will not forget that that is a burning question. I can assure him that we are getting on as fast as we possibly can.

LORD BARNBY

My Lords, would the noble Earl recommend in the proper quarters that consideration be given to the widespread feeling which exists that assistance would be given to recruitment for the Territorial Army as the result of the issue of No. 1 Dress? Would he also consider it not only as a recruiting point but as a stimulus to the volunteer angle of the Territorial Force?

EARL FORTESCUE

In reply to that question, I can tell the noble Lord that my right honourable friend is of the same opinion as he is: that it would further the progress of the Territorial Army if this Dress could be issued. I will certainly bring the noble Lord's remarks to the notice of my right honourable friend.