§ 42. Colonel CROFTasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the numerous exemptions allowed to employés of banks and insurance offices by the City of London Appeal Tribunal; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?
§ Mr. FORSTERExemptions of employés of banks and insurance offices in the City of London have been the subject of careful examination by an expert Advisory Committee, and exemptions have only been granted by the City of London Tribunal without opposition from the military representative where the bank or insurance company concerned has agreed to release for military service a number of men accepted for the time being as sufficient by the Advisory Committee. The military representative has recently issued a circular warning employers at banks and insurance offices that, in view of the increasing demand for men for the Army, existing agreements must shortly be subject to revision. I would point out to my hon. and gallant Friend that a large number of banks and insurance offices make claim in the City of London for the whole of their employés, and in such cases the exemptions cover employés engaged in branch offices in different parts of the country.