§ 13. Sir T. Beamishasked the Secretary of State for Defence what forces are available for home defence on the basis that the British contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation is brought up to its promised strength; and in what ways he has modified his assumptions about the need for a home defence force.
§ Mr. Reynolds:Various regular and reserve forces will remain in the United 376W I am constantly considering measures to increase the competitive pull of the Services, and we have already, for example, improved the recruiting organisation and re-examined our recruiting techniques. As the House is aware, the Government have asked the Prices and Incomes Board to complete its review of Forces pay within a year.
§ Mr. Youngerasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the Army recruiting figures for each of the last three available months and for the corresponding period last year.
§ Mr. Boyden:Figures for United Kingdom recruitment from civil life are as follows:
and Lowland Brigades, respectively, and for the corresponding period last year.
§ Mr. BoydenThe figures for recruits from civil life are as follows:
Kingdom in the circumstances the hon. Gentleman describes, but it would not be in the public interest to give details of numbers or organisation. The Government stated their position on this earlier in the year and this decision has not been altered.