HC Deb 24 June 1918 vol 107 cc698-700
32. Colonel Sir J. HOPE

asked the-Minister of National Service whether the 40,000 Irishmen who, since October, 1916, have come to Great Britain to engage on munitions and other Government work are liable for military service under Section 1 of the Military Service (No. 2) Act, 1918; and whether he will issue instructions under which these men may be obtained for military service in all cases where the War Office are able to provide as substitutes British soldiers of medical categories other than A?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of NATIONAL SERVICE (Mr. Beck)

The men referred to in my hon. and gallant Friend's question come within the operation of the Military Service Acts. As already stated in the House, an undertaking has been given that no alteration will at present be made as regards the liability to military service of Irishmen who are now temporarily resident in Great Britain for the purposes set out in my answer of 17th April.

As regards Irishmen who come to Great Britain in the future, it is proposed that they should be called up for military service in the same manner as other British subjects, unless they have come, or have been brought, to Great Britain by the Ministry of Labour for agricultural work, and are in possession of a certificate to that effect issued by an Employment Exchange.

The Ministry of National Service takes every opportunity of recommending the use of discharged men, and, as my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, the War Office has arranged for a considerable number of lower grade and specially skilled soldiers to be released for urgent work, such as agriculture and shipbuilding.

Sir E. CARSON

May I ask my hon. Friend whether Irishmen of military age in these munition works will be allowed to stay there while older men are being called up for service in England?

Mr. BECK

I do not think that that quite arises. I understand that the position is that a number of men were recruited in Ireland by Government machinery and brought over to do certain work of national importance here, and these men will not be recruited under compulsory service until they are given an opportunity of returning to Ireland.

Sir E. CARSON

Are these men of military age and much younger than the men who are being called up here?

Mr. BECK

I have no knowledge, but I imagine many of them are of military age.

Mr. LOUGH

Will my hon. Friend say whether the change he has indicated in regard to Irishmen who may come over in the future can be made without legislation?

Mr. BECK

I think so, because the men that my right hon. Friend the Member for Dublin University (Sir E. Carson) referred to would be liable to military service, unless there was administrative action protecting them on the ground that they had come over in response to a request by the Government.

Mr. LOUGH

But does not the Act provide that Irishmen who come over, but who are not usually resident here, are not to be liable, and has he not said that they may be liable in the future? Can that be done without legislation?

Mr. BECK

There is no change in the law at all.

Mr. PRINGLE

But why should there be such trouble about breaking a pledge to these Irishmen when pledges have been broken in regard to so many people in this country?

Mr. BECK

Perhaps the hon. Member will give notice of that question?

Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

Is the hon. Gentleman not aware that about four months ago he wrote me a letter, in which he said these men were going to be sent back to Ireland, and that no other men were to be taken in the munition firms who came from Ireland?

Mr. BECK

I think that if my hon. Friend looks into that letter he will find that I did not quite say that.

Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKE

I think so; very much the same thing.