§ Mr. DAYasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any statistics that will show the number of men who enlisted in His Majesty's Army in Great Britain during 1928 who were unemployed at the time of enlistment?
§ Mr. SHAWInformation as to the number of recruits who were unemployed at the time of enlistment is only available in respect of the London area, where the number of recruits for the Regular Army finally approved during the recruiting year ended 30th September, 1928, was 4,812, of whom 71 per cent. were stated to be unemployed at the time of enlistment. This percentage was obtained from the statements of the recruits: no independent check was made or was possible.