25. Mr. CHANCELLORasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that five theological students in immediate preparation for the ministry at Carmarthen College, who had been refused exemption at Carmarthen, were given leave to appeal to the Central Tribunal on the ground that they came under Army Regulation 462, but that the Central Tribunal refused the appeal as the question whether the Regulation applied to these men was not a matter within their jurisdiction; whether the Regulation means anything and, if so, what; and whether, until some consistent and final interpretation of the words, immediate preparation for the ministry is given by some competent authority, he will undertake that theological students shall not be called up who are actually preparing for the ministry without any intention of taking intermediate employment before entering it?
§ Mr. FORSTERIn reply to the first part of the hon. Member's question I would remind him that the duty of the tribunals constituted under the Military Service Acts of 1916 is to consider applications for 1031 exemption from military service on certain grounds set out in these Acts, while instructions issued by the Army Council to its own officers deal amongst other matters with administrative questions concerned with calling men to the Colours and are not addressed to tribunals. Army Council Instruction 462 was cancelled by a later Instruction of 30th May, which instructs recruiting officers not to call up men liable; for service who fall into certain? categories without special instructions from the War Office. Such an instruction does not affect the right of the men concerned to apply to tribunals.
In reply to the second part of the hon. Member's question, the definition of immediate preparation is a matter for the Army Council to decide. In doubtful cases the responsible authorities of each religious body have been consulted by the Army Council. For example: the Archbishop of Canterbury has informed the Army Council that as a general principle he does not desire any delay in the case of Church of England students at present studying, and the Wesleyan Methodists adopted a similar attitude some time ago. The question of more definite interpretation in relation to other denominations is now under consideration by the Army Council. Pending the completion of this reconsideration the Army Council does not at present propose to call up such students if certified by the head of a theological college to have commenced their studies for the ministry before 4th August, 1914.
Mr. CHANCELLORAs one of these students has already been called up will the hon. Gentleman see that his calling-up is cancelled if I give him the name?
§ Mr. FORSTERI will make inquiries first.