§ Mr. Wiggasked the Minister of Defence the number of Regular recruits enlisted in the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force during the period 1st January to 31st December, 1956, together with the comparable figures for 1954 and 1955.
230W
§ Mr. HareI have been asked to reply.
The Answer is as follows:
MALE REGULAR RECRUITS ENTERED IN EACH OF THE SERVICES IN 1954, 1955 AND 1956 — 1954 1955 1956 Royal Navy … 8,111 7,582 7,662 Army* … 38,945 34,916 38,556 Royal Air Force … 27,974 21,135 22,220 TOTAL … 75,030 63,633 68,438 *Includes a small number of entrants on Northern Ireland District engagements, formerly omitted from recruiting figures. They numbered 50 in 1954, 98 in 1955 and 109 in 1956.
§ Mr. Wiggasked the Minister of Defence the number of man-years recruited by the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force, separate figures being given for each Service, in 1956, excluding boys and short-service engagements; and if he will give separate figures to show, respectively, when no allowance is made for National Service and when National Service is excluded.
§ Mr. HareI have been asked to reply.
The Answer is as follows:
MALE RECRUITMENT TO ACTIVE FORCES IN TERMS OF MAN-YEARS* 1956 INITIAL RECRUITMENT (Including National Service liability) Navy 72,000 Army 139,000 R.A.F. 111,000 TOTAL 322,000 (Excluding National Service liability) Navy 58,000 Army 68,000 R.A.F. 74,000 TOTAL 200,000 PROLONGATIONS OF SERVICE Navy 35,000 Army 170,000 R.A.F. 99,000†‡ TOTAL 304,000 *The figures given exclude the man-year product of boys and apprentices before entry into the effective strength and of men joining the Army on the Special Short Service engagements. † Includes 27,000 man-years derived from a new source of internal recruitment (i.e., men re-engaged for pension waiving their option to take discharge before attaining age 55); this was introduced in 1956. ‡ Excluding aircrew.