HC Deb 06 March 1917 vol 91 cc187-8
19. Mr. MacCALLUM SCOTT

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his attention has now been called to cases in which the military authorities have refused to issue discharge certificates, in accordance with the orders issued on 13th July, 1916, to attested men who on re-examination are found unfit for any form of military service; whether men so rejected from whom, in defiance of the order, discharge certificates have been withheld by the military authorities, will now be entitled to receive such certificates; and whether he propose; to take any action?

Mr. MACPHERSON

Apparently a junior officer in error, believing that the proposed instructions had been approved, replied to an applicant for a discharge certificate that such were not now issued. Steps are being taken to rectify the error. The present position is that an attester man who, on re-examination by a medical board, has been rejected for all forms of military service, will be given a discharge certificate if he applies to the recruiting officer for it, provided that there was an Instruction in force at the date of his rejection under which discharge certificates were to be furnished to such men. As already stated, it is intended to modify the present Instructions, and a new form of medical classification certificate will shortly be issued.

Mr. SCOTT

Is the hon. Member aware that this state of things does not apply to one case only, but to the recruiting officers all over the country, where the recruiting officer has stated distinctly that they have instructions not to issue certificates of discharge in these eases?

Mr. MACPHERSON

I am quite aware that it does not apply to this particular case, and I am not aware that any such Instruction as that referred to by the hon. Member has been issued to the recruiting officers. I would remind my hon. Friend that I have dealt with the whole of these questions in the last part of my answer.

Mr. SCOTT

Then if a recruiting officer tells a man who, on re-examination, is found to be unfit, that he has instructions not to issue a certificate of discharge, he is in error?

Mr. MACPHERSON

I cannot answer a question like that.