§ 40. Mr. ANDERSONasked the Home Secretary whether alien enemies who have been allowed to remain uninterned are being served with notices by the police peremptorily requiring them to fill up forms offering themselves under the National Service scheme; whether it is to be understood that such persons are under compulsion to enrol; and whether such compulsion would be in conformity with the principles of the scheme?
§ Sir G. CAVEIn accordance with the statement which I made in the House on the 14th February alien enemies who have been exempted from internment are being called upon to justify their continued exemption by offering themselves for useful work in a civil capacity. Alien enemies who are able but refuse to do useful work will not be entitled to continued exemption. This proceeding forms no part of the scheme of voluntary National Service, but when British subjects are being urgently pressed to make sacrifices by enrolling themselves for National Service it would, I think, be impossible to leave uninterned alien enemies in a position of advantage.