§ 14. Mr. NEEDHAMasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he will make special arrangements so that a copy of the Military Service Bill may be issued to each member of the tribunals as quickly as possible after the Bill has received the Royal Assent?
§ The PRESIDENT of the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Long)I have been in communication with the Stationery Office, and I hope that copies of the Act may be available for the use of members of tribunals within a few days after Royal Assent has been given.
§ 15. Mr. NEEDHAMasked the President of the Local Government Board whether he is aware that insufficient copies of his circulars relating to the Military Service Act are supplied, so that each member of a tribunal cannot obtain a copy for his personal use; and whether he can arrange for each member to receive a copy direct of recent and future circulars?
§ Mr. LONGIf a sufficient number of copies of any circular has not been supplied for all members of a tribunal additional copies may always be obtained by application made by the clerk to the tribunal to my Department.
§ 16. Mr. NEEDHAMasked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the prospective changes in the Military Service Act due to the present Bill, he intends to circulate to each member of tribunals a memorandum embodying the law on all points arising out of compulsory service legislation?
§ Mr. LONGA new circular and regulations will be issued to tribunals when the present Bill is passed.
§ 18. Major NEWMANasked the President of the Local Government Board whether the instructions to be issued to tribunals with regard to the exemption of men engaged single-handed in business will be understood to apply only to married men or widowers with a family or also to single men with dependants; and whether these instructions will safeguard the position of men already attested who are similarly situated and who now desire exemption on the grounds above-mentioned?
§ Mr. LONGThe question of the claim to exemption of the men to whom my hon. and gallant Friend refers must depend not so much on their marital condition as on the degree of hardship which their call to the Colours will produce. The instructions to tribunals with regard to attested and unattested men will in this matter be uniform.