asked the Minister for Defence if he will give details of the planned programme for the recruitment of the women's corps in the Army.

The first four cadets of the Women's Service Corps reported to the Military College on 10 March 1980 and are at present undergoing a course of training there. General recruitment will be initiated as soon as circumstances permit. The availability of trained officers is a prerequisite to such recruitment.

When will that opportunity arise?

As soon as the officers are trained.

Could the Minister give any indication when that will happen?

Early next year.

Will they have to be trained before we embark on recruitment?

We must have the officers trained first.

I accept that.

We advertised in the hope that we might be able to get some officers earlier than we could train them ourselves, but we were unsuccessful.

The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.