§ 22. Mr. ANDERSONasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that on 17th February four men subject to the Military Service Act applied to the clerk of the local tribunal at Cwmavon (Port Talbot) for forms upon which to claim exemption, and that the mayor, who is chairman of the local tribunal, refused to provide such forms on the ground that the applicants had not attested; and whether, having regard to the provisions of the Military Service Act, he will say what steps the Local Government Board propose to take in this matter?
§ Mr. LONGI am in communication with the local authorities on the subject, and will let the hon. Member know the result.
Mr. E. HARVEYIs the right hon. Gentleman making this communication to all authorities? Is he aware that similar refusals have taken place in many places, and that a great number of people have been told that they can only claim exemption after attestation, and some have been induced to attest on this ground?
§ Mr. LONGI am not aware that this has happened in many cases; but I have given the clearest instructions, and it is to be hoped that the instructions issued will stop its recurrence.
§ 23. Mr. SNOWDENasked the President of the Local Government Board if he has received a letter from Colonel Conran, through the hon. Member for the Buckrose Division, protesting against the constitution of the local tribunal set up by the Bridlington Town Council, in which special exception is taken to the inclusion on the local tribunal of Mr. T. D. Fendy on the ground that, when the Military Service (No. 2) Bill was introduced, he wrote a letter to the Press against compulsory military service; will he say if the military representative is entitled to interfere with the discretion of a local authority about 790 the constitution of a local tribunal; whether the fact that a man has previously expressed views against Conscription is to be regarded as a disqualification to sit on a local tribunal; and, if so, will all members of local tribunals who have expressed themselves in favour of compulsory military service be regarded as disqualified to exercise their powers in a fair and judicial manner?
§ Mr. LONGThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I do not think that a military representative is precluded by his position from calling attention to such a matter. In reply to the last part of the question, as I stated in this House, I do not consider that the mere holding of views for or against compulsory military service need disqualify a man from sitting on a local tribunal. The important question is whether he can bring an impartial mind to the determination of the cases which come before that body.
§ 24. Mr. SNOWDENasked the President of the Local Government Board if, seeing that many local tribunals are expressing the view that they have not the power to grant absolute exemption under the Military Service Act, 1916, to conscientious objectors who establish a case, he will call attention to that part of the instructions which says that in certain cases absolute exemption can be granted to conscientious objectors?
§ Mr. LONGOn the evidence before me I do not think it necessary to take action. If any case is brought to my notice in which there is misapprehension, I will be prepared to consider it.
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEHas the right hon. Gentleman's attention been drawn; to the statement of the Chairman of the Wands-worth Tribunal that they do not intend to grant any exemptions? Will he have a tribunal set up there to administer the Act and not the views of the chairman?
§ Mr. OUTHWAITEWhat action will the right hon. Gentleman take in the case of tribunals that refuse to administer the Act and not to grant exemptions?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat does not arise out of the question.
§ 25. Mr. SNOWDENasked the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that a number of local authorities are not carrying out the instructions of the Local Government Board in the constitution of the local tribunals under the Military Service Act, 1916; that in the majority of cases there is no representative of labour on the tribunal; that in hardly a single case has a local authority carried out the instruction to consult the body representative of labour in the district; that women are not being appointed on the tribunals; and particularly that no regard is being paid to the instruction which requires the local authority to remember in constituting the tribunal that cases of conscientious objection will come before them, and that the tribunal should be so constituted that such persons will feel that their case will be justly considered; and will he say what steps he proposes to take to enforce upon local authorities the carrying out of the instructions of his Department and the Regulations issued by His Majesty in Council?
§ Mr. LONGI have no reason to think that generally the local tribunals which have been appointed do not command general confidence. I have received a certain number of representations that labour is not properly represented, and, where necessary, I am communicating with the local authorities. Local authorities are not required to appoint women on the tribunals; the matter is left to their discretion. I do not feel that I could properly go further than the advice given in the circular letter of the 3rd February. It is necessary to distinguish between directions contained in the Regulations and the advice contained in the circular letter. The appointment of the tribunal has been left to the local authority as containing the elected representatives of the people. I do not think it would be right for me to interfere with their discretion unless there are very strong reasons for doing so.
§ 26. Mr. SNOWDENasked the President of the Local Government Board if he will state what action he proposes to take in 792 regard to the constitution of the local tribunal for the Pickering (Yorks) Rural District Council, which is composed of eight members all of whom are farmers, the council having refused to follow the instructions of the Local Government Board by making the constitution of the tribunal of a representative character?