HC Deb 16 February 1955 vol 537 cc48-9W
58. Mr. John Hall

asked the Minister of Defence how many National Service men each year, expressed in numbers and as a percentage of the annual intake, are found, on entry, to be illiterate or semi-illiterate.

Mr. H. Macmillan

The terms "illiterate" and "semi-literate" are not used by the Services but, in the Army, the following numbers of National Service entrants and percentages proportionate to total intake have been found unable to write their names, addresses, etc., on a form:

Year Numbers Percentage of intake
1952 1,400 1.2
1953 … 1,027 0.92
1954 (Jan. to Sept.) 653 0.84
No men of this standard are accepted by the Royal Navy or the Royal Air Force.

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