§ 12. Major NEWMANasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that numbers of men over thirty years of age, married and with large families, who are only passed as fit for Home duties, are being called up; whether it is intended that they shall take the place of the first-and second-line units of Yeomanry and Territorials who are still retained for garrison duties at Home and release these latter for general service, either as units or in drafts; and, if not, whether he will consider the advisability of postponing the calling up of these category C men with a view to their releasing for general service unmarried men under thirty now badged or in reserved occupations?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEMen in category C 1 are being called up to replace category A men in Home service units. Men of categories C 2 and C 3 are not being called up, but are being used to replace category A men now badged or in reserved occupations.
44. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary of State for War whether all men in category C 1 are likely to be required; if so, whether they are likely to be required immediately; and whether this also applies to men in categories C 2 and C 3?
§ Mr. FORSTERThe answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards categories C 2 and C 3, the position is that in the majority of cases the men classified are not likely to be required.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTIs the hon. Gentleman aware that men who are classified in categories C 2 and C 3 are being returned to civil life with an intimation that they will be called up when required, and that those of them engaged in business are rendered, by this uncertainty, incapable of entering into any contract, 921 not knowing when they may be called up; and in these circumstances can he give these men some kind of undertaking that they will not be called up, say, before a certain date or within a certain number of months?
§ Mr. FORSTERI am afraid we cannot guarantee that none of these men, or that no individual man, will be called up. It is quite obvious that if we want a man who is accustomed to clerical work we might require his services, but, speaking of them as a class, we do not expect that they will be called up.
Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTIn order to meet the difficulty, which is a very real and pressing one, could not the hon. Gentleman select a certain number of men and say that they will be called up first and so give some guarantee to the others?
§ Mr. FORSTERWe will have that point considered. We do not desire to inflict unnecessary hardship.