asked the Minister for Defence if he will give the number of persons serving in Civil Defence at the latest date for which information is conveniently available; and if he will give similar particulars on the comparable date for each of the last three years.

The total number of active members in the Civil Defence services on 31 Nollaig, 1963—as shown in returns furnished to me by the local authorities —was 12,476. The returns furnished to me by local authorities show that at the nearest comparable dates in the three preceding years the numbers of persons serving were:—