HC Deb 27 February 1946 vol 419 cc401-2W
Major Poole

asked the Secretary of State for War the relative rate of release between the Army and other Services.

Mr. Lawson

It is not easy to make such a comparison, as the numbers in each group in the various Services differ so widely.

This can be seen from the fact that in Group 26 the numbers to be released in that group are:

Army 265,000
R.N 15,000
R.A.F. 52,000

I may also point out that the percentages of the strength of each Service on VE-Day which will have been released by 30th June, 1946, are:

Per cent.
Army 69
R.N. 66
R.A.F 64

As a result of the release programme published on 14th February, approximately 1,200,000 men and women will be released or discharged from the Army during the period 1st January to 30th June, 1946, and the cumulative total of individuals who have left the Army since the start of the Release Scheme will be over 2,100,000.