§ 20. Mr. SNOWDENasked the Minister of Munitions if he will explain the status of the Army Reserve munition workers; whether they are under military authority; and if, by joining the Army Reserve munition workers, they forfeit any of the rights they had under the Military Service Act in regard to claiming exemption?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYAn Army Reserve munitions worker upon his allocation to munitions work is employed, not under military authority, but under exactly the same conditions as ordinary civilians, except that he is entitled in special circumstances to receive additional allowances in respect of his rate of payment, subsistence allowance, and children's allowance, and except that if he has been called to the Colours and passed to Army Reserve W. he remains liable to return to military service at any time he ceases to be employed by any firm named by the Ministry of Munitions, or, if he is ordered to report for service with the Colours, by the competent military authority. Any worker who may under the Military Service Acts have any right to claim exemption would not forfeit those rights by reason of his enrolment, nor would they be affected until he had been enlisted to or passed to Army Reserve W.
§ Mr. PRINGLECan my hon. Friend say whether the subsistence allowance is given in the case of a dependent widowed mother?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYIf dependent I think it would be so; but I would rather have notice of the question.
§ Mr. PRINGLEI will give it to you.