Sir I. Clark Hutchisonasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will indicate by means of a table the approximate number of recruits obtained for the Royal Navy from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively, for each year since the end of the war; and approximate numbers from each of the component countries of the United Kingdom included in the present total of personnel borne on Vote A.
§ Mr. J. P. L. ThomasThe numbers of men and boys volunteering for regular engagements in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines were as follows:
Financial year 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 Recruits entered: England 20,792 16,844 16,923 12,002 Scotland 2,431 1,929 1,907 1,302 Wales 794 696 596 552 Northern Ireland 570 259 298 184
Financial year 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 Recruits entered: England 8,203 9,400 8,688 7,739 Scotland 970 998 869 751 Wales 330 344 303 299 Northern Ireland 145 277 222 181 Figures for the first half of the financial year 1954–55 are not yet available.
I regret that the information for which my hon. Friend asks in the second part of his Question could not be obtained without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour.