HC Deb 07 July 1938 vol 338 cc619-20W
Mr. C. Wilson

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state for each of the last four years the number of applicants for enlistment under 18 years of age whose application was without their parents' consent; in how many of these cases was application made for release on compassionate grounds or on other grounds, respectively; in how many cases was release granted without purchase; in how many cases was release purchased; and in how many cases was the applicant finally approved with the parents' consent?

Mr. Hore-Belisha

I regret that I am unable to furnish the information asked for as I have no means of knowing the annual numbers of applicants for enlistment as men who were in fact under 18 years of age. The number of soldiers discharged from the Regular Army on account of having made a mis-statement as to age on enlistment during the last four years were:

1937–38 545
1936–37 521
1935–36 431
1934–35 278
I am unable to say in how many of these cases compassionate grounds existed.

The numbers of recruits who purchased their discharge within three months of enlistment during the last four years were:

1937–38 356
1936–37 281
1935–36 299
1934–35 318
I am unable to say how many of these were under 18 years of age.