asked the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to the number of resignations among Naval Service personnel during 1979, both those who did not renew their employment and those who left by purchase, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Sixty-four other ranks left the Naval Service on termination of their engagement during 1979. Forty-six of these left on termination of their initial four-year engagement. This is a normal feature of military life.

Ninety-three other ranks were discharged by purchase, 35 of whom were recruits. These personnel left the service for a variety of reasons, life in the service did not suit them, family circumstances, or offers of other employment.

I might add that a total of 239 personnel enlisted in the Naval Service in 1979 which more than made up for the losses of personnel which occurred during the year.

Does the Minister consider it alarming that 93 men out of a total of approximately 700 are prepared to buy themselves out of the service under a purchase regulation? This is a very serious matter. There must be something wrong here. Did the Minister carry out an investigation into the causes which gave rise to that situation?

The Deputy probably knows that men serving in the Naval Service acquire skills which can be used in civilian life and which will enable them to obtain civilian employment, particularly in the areas in which they are based and where employment opportunities are reasonably plentiful. The total number serving in the Naval Service at present is the highest ever.

The fact that 14 per cent are prepared to buy themselves out is alarming and requires the urgent attention of the Minister. I believe 53 people did not complete the initial training course. That is also very alarming. There must be something radically wrong and I must ask the Minister to take immediate action to solve this problem.

I would like to overcome that problem but the Deputy must be aware that as the number in the Naval Service is the highest ever——

We are recruiting them but they are not staying.

——it is not a cause for such alarm as the Deputy seems to believe.

Approximately how much do they pay? How does the purchase scheme operate? How does one buy oneself out?

The amount paid varies with the length of service——

What is the approximate figure? Are we talking about hundreds of pounds?

I do not have that information here.

I would be very interested to know.

I will make the information available to the Deputy.