§ Commander Nobleasked the Minister of Defence how many deserters were apprehended during 1950 and how many gave themselves up; of these two categories, how many were also proceeded against for civil offences; how many were at large on 1st January, 1951; and whether he will give some indication of the various periods they have been at large.
§ Mr. ShinwellDuring 1950, 1,615 deserters from all three Services were apprehended and 703 gave themselves up. It is not possible to say how many of these were charged with civil offences.
At the end of the year 1,415 deserters from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, 54W 13,687 from the Army and 4,486 from the Royal Air Force, a total of 19,588 were nominally still at large. These figures take no account of desertions before September, 1939, but, as I have previously explained to the House, they do include: (a) over 10,000 with home addresses outside the United Kingdom; (b) many who have deserted abroad; and (c) a substantial number of multiple desertions. Probably not more than 7,000 or 8,000 are still at large in this country; the true figure may well be smaller.
I regret that no estimate can be given of the length of time for which the Naval and Royal Marine deserters have been at large, but of those from the Army 3,129 have deserted since August, 1945. The Royal Air Force total includes 371 believed to be still in the United Kingdom, of whom 189 have deserted since the end of the war.