§ 8. Mr. MORRELLasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to an announcement that appeared on the 25th ultimo to the effect that recruiting officers will take steps after 1st August to call up all transport workers at the docks and public wharves who are not in possession of a Board of Trade certificate, a properly certificated badge, or an unexpired certificate of exemption granted by a tribunal on personal grounds, and that after 1st August it will no longer be safe to rely for exemption on certificates issued by local tribunals on the ground that a man is in. a reserved occupation; if he will say on what authority the recruiting officers propose to act, seeing that the result of their action will be to cancel certificates of exemption; and whether the right course is for the military representatives to apply to the tribunals for a revision of the certificates in these cases?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have made inquiries into this matter and I understand that an announcement generally on the lines 1622 indicated by the hon. Member has appeared in the Port of London. Dock transport workers were certified by the Board of Trade as being engaged in work of national importance and any individual certificates of exemption issued on the ground that a man is engaged as a port transport worker would rest upon that general certificate of the Board of Trade. Applications for certificates of exemption from port transport workers would come before the Port Labour Committee. It is unnecessary for military representatives to apply to tribunals for revision of the certificates in these cases. I would refer the hon. Member to Part III. of the Regulations issued by Order in Council for tribunals under the Military Service Acts, 1916.
§ Mr. MORRELLDo I understand that these men will have to get a certificate from the Board of Trade?
§ Mr. FORSTERI think that they can go before the Labour Committee.