§ Mr. Banksasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the latest number of officers and men who have applied to leave each of the three Services.
§ Mr. Mulley908 Army officers applied for premature voluntary release in 1977–78. During the first 11 months of 1977–78, 295 Royal Navy and Royal Marine officers, 715 RAF officers and 2,954 airmen also applied for premature voluntary release. It is not possible to give comparable figures for applications from Service men in the Royal Navy and Army but 1,265 and 4,643 respectively actually left these two Services prematurely and at their own request during the same period.