HC Deb 18 June 1918 vol 107 cc148-9
6. Brigadier-General CROFT

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether Civil servants of military age who are exempted from military service will have to give an undertaking that they will join the Volunteers?

Mr. MACPHERSON

I think that nothing would be gained by making exemption of a Civil servant conditional upon an undertaking to join the Volunteers. The number of Civil servants now being retained is so small a proportion of the establishments of the Departments to which they belong and the work is so heavy that they could not discharge further liabilities to public service. There is, of course, no objection to their serving voluntarily where their work admits of it.