§ 28. Mr. Gowasked the Secretary of State for Defence by how many the members of the Armed Forces of the Crown have been reduced since 1st January 1978; and whether he remains satisfied with the prospects of future recruitment to the Armed Forces.
§ Mr. WellbelovedThe total strength of the Armed Forces at 1st January 1978 was 323,516. The corresponding figure at 1st June 1978 was 317,657. Recruiting has been difficult in a number of areas, and we are taking steps to ensure that adequate resources are directed towards the recruitment of shortage categories.