§ 70. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of National Service whether, under the new scheme adopted by his Department, men may be transferred from less essential to 2232 more essential industries without being required to enrol as National Service volunteers; whether it has been decided that the allocation of volunteers and other workers under the scheme of National Service be taken out of the hands of the Employment Exchanges Department and vested directly in the Ministry; whether he can state how far the original scheme has been modified in other directions; and, in view of these various changes, whether he is in a position to make a statement as to the future methods and policy of the National Service Department?
Mr. WALSHThe reply to the first two parts of this question is in the affirmative. The new scheme prepared by the National Service Department is supplementary to the original, and should not be regarded as a reversal of what has already been achieved. An outline of the methods now proposed to be adopted was issued to the Press on the 14th instant (a copy has been posted to the hon. Member), and there is at present nothing to add to that statement.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKECan the hon. Gentleman say what has been achieved? Nothing!