§ 49. Mr. GEORGE TERRELLasked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that semi-skilled single men who have been debadged with a view to their being made eligible for service in the Army are being found fresh jobs by the Labour Exchanges; and whether, to save further conflict between the authorities, he will give instructions to the Labour Exchanges that no men of military age are to be found fresh employment without the consent of the military authorities?
§ 64. Mr. SNOWDENasked the President of the Board of Trade if the Employment Exchanges have received instructions not to find jobs for men of military age who are or have been employed in controlled establishments if such men are unattested, but on ascertaining that a man is not attested it is the duty of the Employment Exchange clerk to report the man to the nearest recruiting office; if he is aware that such action is distinctly in violation of the provision of the Military Service Act which allows two months in which to get other work; will he explain why the Employment Exchanges are acting in this manner; and if it be on the instructions of the Minister of Munitions or the War Office?
§ Mr. PRETYMANThe Employment Exchanges have been instructed that they should not assist men who are liable to, but are evading, military service, to obtain civil employment. No further instructions on the subject have up to the present time been issued by the Board of Trade to the Exchanges. They have under consideration, however, the issue of more detailed instructions dealing with the whole matter.
§ Mr. THOMASDoes that apply to skilled men being enlisted in the Army while skilled men are being brought from France, and can that waste be prevented?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman)No, it does not cover that question at all. This only applies to men who are evading military service.
§ Mr. SNOWDENDid the right hon. Gentleman say Employment Exchanges have been instructed to make a discrimination between attested and unattested men and that when a man says he is unattested they have instructions not to find him a job?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANNo, I did not say what apparently is in the hon. Member's mind. What I said was that Exchanges have been instructed that they should not assist men who are liable to, but are evading, military service in finding civil employment.
§ Mr. SNOWDENWill the right hon. Gentleman give an answer to my question whether any instructions have been given to Employment Exchanges to discriminate between attested and unattested men with regard to jobs?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member ought to put that down.
§ Mr. SNOWDENI have it on the Paper. The right hon. Gentleman answered my question at the same time.
§ Mr. RUNCIMANIf the hon. Member had listened carefully to my answer he would have heard me further say that no further instructions on the subject have up to the present been issued.
§ Mr. G. TERRELLWhat does the right hon. Gentleman mean by men who are evading, or attempting to evade, military service? Does he mean that the Employment Exchanges are to endeavour to discriminate or ascertain what the man's intentions are?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIf the hon. Gentleman wishes to ask a series of questions he might take the trouble to put them down. Otherwise he cannot expect to get answers.
§ Mr. TERRELLOn a point of Order. It arises out of a question which I have addressed to the right hon. Gentleman?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt may well arise. A hundred questions may arise out of an answer given, but that does not prevent the questions being put down.
§ Mr. TERRELLI suggest that this is a most important matter.
§ Mr. SPEAKERI suggest that the more important the matter is the more necessary it is to put the question down.
§ Sir R. COOPERDoes not your ruling equally apply to Irish Nationalists?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt applies to everyone, even to the hon. Gentleman himself.