§ 50. Mr. KINGasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of doubts prevalent concerning what constituted youth in the pledge given concerning young unmarried men, he will say whether all unmarried men to the age of forty-one are held to be young; or whether young men means men up to a lower age; and, if so, to what age?
§ The PRIME MINISTERIt is difficult, if not impossible, to define the precise boundary line at which a man ceases to be young; but for this purpose I should be disposed to regard all men of military age as still young.
§ Mr. KINGDoes the Prime Minister know that each man is for himself the best judge whether he is young or not?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI am glad to say that my experience is the same as that of the hon. Member. Some of us are young long after the calendar marks us old, and others are old long before the calendar marks us old.
§ 53. Mr. HOGGEasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that Scotland has given more men to the Army and Navy in proportion to her population than any other portion of the United Kingdom; and whether he is prepared to furnish the House with the figures to enable it to determine whether Scotland should, like Ireland, be excluded from the provisions of the Military Service (No. 2) Bill?
§ The PRIME MINISTERRecruiting in Scotland has undoubtedly been most successful, but the figures for which my hon. Friend asks are not available. The suggestion in the last part of the question cannot be entertained.
§ Mr. HOGGEMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in view of the fact that an Amendment will be put down to exclude Scotland, he will provide us with the figures in order to enable us to come to a decision on that subject?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI cannot undertake to do so, and I shall certainly oppose any such Amendment.
§ Mr. WATTIs it not the case that the figures for Scotland are withheld in order to spare the blushes of England and Wales?