41. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTTasked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that Councillor Dollan, of Glasgow, has been granted exemption by the Central Tribunal on the ground of conscientious objection, conditional on engaging in work of public importance; whether the Central Tribunal imposed as a further condition that the work must be found more than fifty miles from Glasgow, and, if not, who imposed this condition; whether his appeal to the High Court against the decision of the stipendiary magistrate that he was an absentee has not been heard; and, if not, whether he ought to be released from prison until it has been finally decided whether he was rightly convicted of being an absentee?
§ The SECRETARY for SCOTLAND (Mr. Munro)I am aware of the decision of the Central Tribunal in this case. I am informed that it was intimated to Dollan that he should find employment in a district at least fifty miles from Glasgow. As regards the latter part of the question, I am informed that no such appeal has been heard in the High Court. The question of interim liberation has already been disposed of by the stipendiary.
Mr. SCOTTIs it in order to impose such a condition as that he should find work of public importance at a distance of more than fifty miles from Glasgow? Is not that more suitable for the action of the authorities under the Defence of the Realm Act?
Mr. SCOTTWhat is the object of a condition like that? Is it held that no work of public importance can be found within fifty miles of Glasgow?
Mr. SCOTTIs it the case that the tribunal can impose any condition whatsoever, no matter how irrational or how irrelevant to the matter at issue?