asked the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department expects to complete the study it is making into the possibility of offering male nurses the opportunity of direct commissions in the Armed Forces in the same way that these are now available to women.

At present only female SRNs are eligible for a direct commission in any of the three Services. Studies are well in hand to introduce direct commissions for male SRNs in all three Services. Care, however, has to be taken to ensure that the introduction of direct commissions does not prejudice the career prospects of the SRNs already serving. Depending on the outcome of these studies, direct commissioning of male SRNs could be introduced during 1980.