§ Sir A. Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for War what is the minimum age at which soldiers are at present sent to units overseas; and whether he can give an assurance that this minimum age limit will not be reduced?
§ Mr. Hore-BelishaThe minimum ages at which soldiers are sent overseas are as under:
- To Gibraltar, Malta—18 years.
- To Bermuda, Ceylon, China, Egypt, Jamaica, Mauritius, Palestine, Sudan‑ 19 years.
- To Aden, Burma, India, Malaya—20 years.
As it is impossible to foresee what circumstances may arise in the future, I regret I am unable to give the assurance asked for in the last part of the question.