§ 61. Mr. T. RICHARDSONasked the Minister of Munitions whether he has requested certain firms to send in lists of their employés, indicating those who are essential and those who may be sent into military service; whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that in some of these lists men who are quite close to the limit of military age have been indicated as available for service whilst much younger men have been indicated as being essential to the business; whether, in some instances, the men indicated as available for military service seem to have been selected on account of their political opinions and trade union activities; and whether anything can be done to see that military and industrial considerations alone are to determine the making up of these lists?
§ Dr. ADDISONInpectors of the Ministry are now visiting works to which war service badges have been issued with a view to ascertaining whether badges are being held by men who appear to be more urgently needed in the Army than for munitions work. With a view to facilitating their inquiries these inspectors have in some cases asked firms to supply them in advance of their visit with a list of badged employés. My attention has not been called to any cases in which a firm has attempted to secure the release of men on account of their political opinions or trade union activities, but special instructions on this point have been issued to inspectors with a view to preventing any such attempt from being successful if it were made.