§ Mr. ANDERSONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of National Service whether, on behalf of his Department, five public meetings with public speakers have been held at Wimbledon, 1,800 posters and 23,000 handbills issued, and 8,144 persons canvassed; whether, as a result, forty-nine persons have returned themselves as willing to enrol for National Service under the conditions laid down; and whether he can state the cost of the meetings, posters, handbills, and canvassing in Wimbledon?
§ Mr. S. WALSHThe former part of the statement in this question, relating to the publicity campaign in Wimbledon, is substantially correct, the cost of meetings, canvassing, bill-posting, and distribution of printed matter being £69 8s. 8d., but the forty-nine persons quoted as National Service Volunteers obtained are only those who lodged their enrolment forms it regularly with local officers, instead of posting them direct to- the National Service Department, as the form prescribed. One hour's examination of the registers shows that 153 National Service Volunteers were obtained from Wimbledon, and there it no doubt that a detailed examination would show many more for this district; but as this is not a separately defined area for statistical purposes in the Department, the precise number cannot be given without much further labour.