§ 26. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he can state the position under the Military Ser- 1716 vice (Convention with Allied States) Bill of ex-soldiers discharged on account of physical unfitness from the Army who have since gone to America or other countries; and whether all ex-soldiers discharged on account of unfitness since the beginning of the War who have been allowed passports to leave this country will be exempt from the provisions of the Act, and whether or not they have been on foreign service?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONWhere a convention has been concluded with an Allied State under the Military Service (Conventions with Allied States) Bill, it is proposed to issue instructions to His Majesty's Ambassador to any such State to the effect that where an ex-soldier claims that he is not liable to service and produces evidence that he has been discharged from the Army in consequence of physical unfitness, he is to be granted a provisional certificate of exemption and his case referred to the War Office for special consideration.
§ Mr. ANDERSONDoes that mean that the soldier has no right in the matter at all, and that the matter rests with the War Office?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIt is so, but I do not see what the War Office could do. It does not come directly under this Act, but we are doing the best we possibly can by instructing the Ambassador that a soldier under those circumstances should be granted a provisional certificate of exemption, and that the case should be referred to the War Office to be decided on its merits.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI think my hon. Friend must put that question to the Foreign Office.