HC Deb 07 May 1940 vol 360 cc1068-9W
Captain Plugge

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in the cases of conscientious objectors who are permitted to remain in their present positions, he will suggest to the tribunals that they should at least give them some other occupation which has relation to the sacrifices which are made by men in the Fighting Forces?

Mr. E. Brown

The duty of specifying the civilian work which certain conscientious objectors must undertake as the condition of their registration is placed by the Act not upon me but upon the tribunals. In deciding what work to specify the tribunals have regard to the national interest, and I have no doubt that at the same time they keep in mind the sacrifices made by men called up for service in the Armed Forces.

Sir R. Clarry

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the proceedings of a certain conscientious objectors' tribunal, of which he has been informed, during which 71 objectors, many describing themselves as students, were heard, of whom two were granted total exemption and four were listed for military duties, the majority being registered in Class B, enabling them to evade their national duties and obtain lucrative work; and whether he will consider bringing in amending legislation immediately to allocate, without exception, all physically fit men who plead conscientious objection to military units in order that they may obtain the benefits of military discipline and be given the non-combatant duties appertaining to their units, in view of the fact that the exploitation of the existing law is the cause of much discontent and ridicule?

Mr. Assheton

My right hon. Friend has seen a Press report of the proceedings of this tribunal on 18th and 19th April, and it is understood that the great majority of the men were registered as conscientious objectors on condition that they undertook work in agriculture or forestry. The National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939, makes provision for tribunals to order that a man shall be conditionally registered as a conscientious objector, the condition being that he must undertake specified work of a civil character and under civilian control, and this provision is intended to meet the cases of men who have a genuine conscientious objection to performing non-combatant duties in the armed Forces. My right hon. Friend is keeping under close review the manner in which the provisions relating to conscientious objectors operate but does not think the results of one or two days' hearings of one tribunal point to any urgent need for amending legislation which would require all conscientious objectors to be posted to military units for non-combatant duties as suggested by the hon. Member.