§ Mr. Willisasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the annual number of vacancies for direct entry E.R.A.s for 1949 and succeeding years for which requirements have been provisionally estimated; and whether such entries will be on a continuous or special service basis.
Mr. DugdaleThe strengths of the various branches of the Navy for 1949 and succeeding years have not yet been fixed, and the rate of recruitment cannot, therefore, yet be decided. It is probable that direct entry E.R.A.s will continue to be recruited on special service engagements.
§ Mr. Willisasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of E.R.A.s entered on continuous service engagements under the direct entry system during 1946, 1947, and 1948, respectively; and the number of authorised vacancies for this entry in these years.
Mr. DugdaleThe numbers of direct entry E.R.A.s who entered on continuous service engagements in the financial years 1946, 1947 and 1948 were as follow:
50W
Year Entries 1946 — 1947 1 1948 (to 30.10.48) 4 These numbers do not include re-entries. No specific allocation of vacancies was made for direct entry E.R.A.s on continuous service engagements in these years.