§ Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the total cost of recruitment to the Armed Forces in the last 12 months to a convenient date; what were the numbers recruited; and what was the average recruiting cost per Service man;
(2) what was the total cost of recruitment of officers to the Armed Forces in the last 12 months to a convenient date; what were the numbers recruited; and what was the average cost of recruitment per officer.
§ Mr. WellbelovedIn the financial year 1975–76 expenditure on recruiting to the Armed Services amounted to approximately £24 million. The total number of Service personnel—all ranks, male and female—recruited during that period was 46,906, including 2,135 officers male and and female. On this basis, the average cost per recruit was £511. It is not possible to give any meaningful figure for the costs of officer recruitment as a separate part of recruiting expenditure generally.