HC Deb 09 May 1949 vol 464 c79W
Mr. W. Fletcher

asked the Minister of Defence whether he will now make a statement about the possibility of forming a foreign legion of European volunteers and so conserving British manpower; and what consultations he has had on this question with the Minister of Labour and National Service.

Mr. Alexander

My Service colleagues and I have carefully considered the desirability of forming a Foreign Legion but we have concluded that the raising of such a force would not be a satisfactory

PRIVATE INCOME FROM WORK AND PROPERTY BEFORE AND AFTER TAX*
Percentages
1938 1946 1947 1948
Before taxes on income
Wages 36 38 39 40
Salaries 23 20 20 19
Interest, profits and rent 41 42 41 41
Civilian income from work and property 100 100 100 100
After taxes on income
Wages 39 43 45 46
Salaries 24 21 21 20
Interest, profits and rent 37 36 34 34
Civilian income from work and property 100 100 100 100
* The items in this table are identical in definition with those of table 5 of Cmd. 7371. The totals exclude the income of the Armed Forces. The item "rent, interest and profits," like the corresponding item in table 8 of Cmd. 7649, includes professional earnings and income from farming; it also includes the undistributed profits of companies, which as they do not form part of personal income, are excluded from table 8 of Cmd. 7649.