§ 125. Mr. G. Brownasked the Minister of Defence if he will state Government policy with regard to the Armed Services on the basis of which it has been decided that 60,000 additional National Servicemen will be required in 1960; and, in particular, if he will state the size of the three Services the Government hopes to achieve on 1st January, 1961, 1st January, 1962, and 1st January, 1963.
§ Mr. WatkinsonThere has been no change in the Government's policy on the Armed Services, and the 60,000 men remaining in the field for call-up are not additional. It has always been known that there would be a requirement for258W the call-up of National Service men in 1960, and it has now been possible to estimate the extent of the requirement.
With regard to the size of the Services in future years, a forecast of strengths for 1st April, 1961, will appear in the annual White Paper on Defence Statistics early next year.