§ 39. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Under-Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the military authorities are constantly issuing calling-up notices allowing not more than twenty-four hours' time; and if he will give instructions that the provisions of the Reserve Forces Act, under which Reservists, while called to the Colours, are entitled to at least fourteen days' notice, should be observed in all eases?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONThe Reserve Forces Act, 1882, provides no specified period of notice which must be issued to a Reservist calling him up from the Reserve for service with the Colours. Where possible, it has been usual to give fourteen days' notice to Reservists who are called up under the Military Service Act or who have passed into the Army Reserve on attestation, but in some cases it has not been found practicable to give so long a notice as fourteen days. Occasionally men who have had more than two months' notice that their exemption was cancelled have been instructed by recruiting officers to join at twenty-four hours' notice. Instructions were issued from the War Office some days ago that a minimum of seven days' notice should normally be given to such men. This will be the general practice, except in cases in which there is reason to believe that the man affected may attempt to conceal himself in the hope of evading service for a time, or in which there are other special reasons of a military or civil nature.