HC Deb 21 January 1918 vol 101 c661
41 and 43. Mr. DUNCAN MILLAR

asked the Minister of National Service (1) if he can state the proportion of the one million or more administrative protection certificates issued, protecting their holders from military service, which have been issued by Government Departments to men in Government offices; (2) whether steps have been taken to cancel any of the administrative protection certificates, numbering over 1,000,000, and which are at present subject to cancellation by order of the Director-General of National Service; how many of these certificates have been cancelled during the past year; and how many men holding such certificates, it is estimated, could be at present obtained from Government offices and other protected vocations?

Mr. BECK

The administrative protection certificates to which my right hon. Friend referred in his speech on Monday, 14th January, are those issued under the Munitions Area Recruiting Scheme, and do not affect men of military age employed in Government offices, who are exempted under the provisions of Section 2, Subsection (2) of the Military Service Act, 1916. During the past year, under the M.A.R.O. Scheme, the number of men whose certificates have been withdrawn and who have been posted for service, is about 50,000.