HC Deb 25 October 1916 vol 86 cc1113-4
70. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTT

asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he or the Central Tribunal proposes to make any representations to the tribunals to the effect that in considering claims for exemption on the ground of business or domestic hardship the fact that a man has been rejected for general service on medical grounds and has only been passed in Class C should he taken into account?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Hayes Fisher)

I am not aware that any representations on this matter are at present contemplated.

71. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTT

asked the President of the Local Government Board with regard to the notes on Case 61, Sole Proprietors of Businesses, decided by the Central Tribunal and circulated for the information of tribunals, in which it is laid down that if the business could not be revived without grave difficulty consideration would then have to be paid to the amount of capital involved; whether this is intended to indicate that only proprietors of businesses in which a large amount of whole capital is invested are to be exempted, and small tradesmen whose capital is only a comparatively small sum are not to be exempted?

Mr. HAYES FISHER

Obviously each case has to be decided on its merits, according to the particular circumstances; but it seems clear that, other things being equal, the larger the actual loss to the man the more likely is there to be "serious hardship." The efforts which have gone to the establishing of a business would no doubt be another factor to be considered.