31. Consideration is still being given to the best choice of a number of possible ways of meeting the requirement for a new jet trainer; a small number of Jaguar trainers will still be required for operational conversion and squadron training.
32. The additional Jaguar aircraft in the Royal Air Force close support force will constitute a substantial increase in Britain's contribution to NATO in this important rôle.
MANPOWER
33. The revised plans of all three Services have had to take account of the present serious deficiencies in manpower. The strength of the Armed Forces (United Kingdom personnel) on 1 April 1970 was 373,000. This was 18,300 (or nearly 5 per cent) below the number required at that time to meet the previous Administration's defence programme. The shortage resulted from a level of recruitment insufficient to support even the declining force strengths needed to fulfil that programme. The number of male other rank recruits for the three Services fell disastrously from nearly 40,000 in 1966-67 to 32,000 in 1967-68 and 28,000 in 1968-69. There was a welcome improve- ment in recruitment in 1969–70 to 34,000, but this was still 12,000(or one-quarter) short of what the Forces needed to make up for the previous shortfall.
34. There should be a further improvement this year, but there will still be considerable leeway to make up. Even when past deficits have been made good, the Services have a steady long term requirement for something in excess of 40,000 other ranks every year. In addition to the shortfall in other rank recruiting all three Services are short of officers, particularly the Royal Navy and the Army.
35. The Government does not underestimate the difficulties of the task ahead: first to make good the current serious deficiencies, and then to maintain recruitment at a level which matches the Services' needs. The spread of higher education and the impending raising of the school-leaving age will drastically reduce the number of young men available for all kinds of employ- ment in the 15-19 age group, from which other rank recruits to the Services have mainly been drawn. Everything possible will be done to make life in the Services sufficiently attractive to compete successfully in all respects with civilian employment; and to enhance the status of military service in the national life.
36. The Government recognises that there is no quick solution and that manpower constraints will remain a problem for some time to come; but it also believes that its policies will foster a fuller public understanding of defence and the rôle of the Forces, and thus help to create a climate of opinion favourable to recruitment.
DEFENCE BUDGET
37. The revision of the defence programme has involved a thorough examination of expenditure plans within the review of public expenditure as a whole. The Government was faced with two tasks: to find the money for the additional commitments which it proposed to undertake and for improve- ments required in defence capabilities; and to examine the whole of the defence
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