asked the Minister of Defence how many of the 154,200 in the Army, 109,000 in the Royal Navy, and 94,500 in the Royal Air Force, who were on the strength of the Regular Forces on 30th September, 1947, were on long service engagements; and how many were on short service engagements.

There is no distinct line of demarcation between short and long service. If long service is interpreted to include permanent commissions, all normal Regular engagements, and extensions thereof, and short service to include Bounty men and officers and men on extended and short service schemes, the division is as follows:—

——		Royal Navy.	Army.	R.A.F.
Long service	…	99,400	128,150	64,350
Short service	…	9,600	26,050	30,150
Total regulars	…	109,000	154,200	94,500

As far as other ranks are concerned, this division corresponds to that made in the Quarterly Recruiting Returns which are made available in the Vote Office. It should be realised that considerable numbers of those thus classified as "long service" in the Army and R.A.F. are on engagements of five years or even less.