§ 11. Mr. Sharpasked the Secretary of State for War what is the approximate number of National Service men now engaged on regimental pay office and records office duties; what military training they receive to qualify them for service with the Territorial Army; and why available qualified civilians are not employed for this sedentary work.
§ Mr. ShinwellIt is not the practice to make public the numbers of Regular soldiers or National Service men engaged on particular duties. National Service men employed in regimental pay offices receive military and technical training during the first six months of their service; this is carried on to a lesser extent throughout their Army service and when they pass to the Territorial Army they will be trained men available for recall to the Colours in the event of an emergency. Such a reserve of trained men would be needed for the expansion of pay services on mobilisation. The staffs of overseas pay offices must in the main be military; consequently there must be an adequate number of military staff in pay offices in this country to provide the trained men 171W required for posting overseas. It is not at present the policy to employ National Service men in record offices.