HC Deb 25 June 1917 vol 95 cc18-20
39. Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of National Service whether his Department was asked by the Ministry of Munitions to find 500,000 men as substitutes for a similar number of men of military age employed in the service of that Department; what, if any, steps were taken to find the men; how many were found, and was the corresponding number of men released by the Ministry of Munitions; and, if not, was any explanation given to the National Service Department?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY Of NATIONAL SERVICE (Mr. Stephen Walsh)

The National Service Department has not been asked by the Ministry of Munitions to find 500,000 men as substitutes for a similar number of men released by that Department. The National Service Department has not, in fact, been asked to find any substitutes for men released by the Ministry of Munitions. I cannot say how many men, if any, have been released by the Ministry of Munitions. In this respect the question of my hon. Friend should be addressed to the Ministry of Munitions. No explanation as to the number about to be released, or the extent to which substitutes may be required, has been given to the National Service Department.

Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

Are we to understand that these advertisements issued by the National Service Department with regard to the 500,000 are misleading?

Mr. WALSH

I cannot say in what respect my hon. Friend desires me to translate that question. I can only say that I have given the whole of the facts.

Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

Will the hon. Gentleman tell me whether any men have been released by the Ministry of Munitions and whether substitutes are to be supplied by the National Service Department?

Mr. WALSH

The question, as I say, must be addressed to the Ministry of Munitions.

Mr. PRINGLE

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that the National Service Department has advertised that it was going to find 500,000 substitutes for the Ministry of Munitions; and, if the. advertisement appeared, was it not misleading?

Mr. WALSH

That was not the question at all. The question was whether we had been asked by the Ministry of Munitions to find 500,000 men.

Mr. PRINGLE

Then the advertisement was misleading.

Mr. WALSH

The advertisement has nothing to do with this question.