35. BYRNEasked the President of the Local Government Board if he will issue instructions to the military and police authorities informing them that Irishmen temporarily resident in Great Britain are under no liability to register under the new Act; if he is aware that they were not liable to register under the old Act, and that there are no words in any Clause or Section of the new Act referring to Irishmen; and if, in order to prevent Irishmen being victimised by Police Court magistrates, he will now definitely define the position of Irishmen?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. S. Walsh)My right hon. Friend is not empowered to issue instructions to the authorities referred to in the question. As 2109 regards the position of Irishmen under the National Registration Acts, I do not think I can usefully add anything to my reply to the hon. Member's question on the 28th ultimo.
§ Mr. BYRNEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in his answers he has stated that the matter was one for a Court of law? Is he aware that a number of these men at the present moment are being brought before Courts of justice and handed over to the military authorities, and that in one of the cases in which a reply was given a man who was in England only seven weeks was handed over to the military as an absentee, and will he give some definite assurance that these men will not be conscripted?
§ Mr. WALSHI cannot give any definite assurance of the kind, but as the hon. Gentleman will be aware no prosecution can take place at all under the National Registration Act without the consent of the Minister of National Service, and I am quite sure that every case will be properly attended to. I have given my own opinion last week. I can add nothing more.
§ Mr. BYRNEIs the hon. Gentleman aware that since 1915 upwards of 50,000 Irishmen were sent for to come to this country and—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is now going into a question of figures.
43. Mr. THOMASasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that a person named Harry Harbage, employed in the Post Office Engineering Department at Derby as a linesman (established), with ten years' service, has recently been advised that his services from February, 1917, until the end of the War would not count for pension nor incremental purposes for the sole reason of his being exempted from military service under a certain Clause in the Military Service Act; whether he is aware that this man is a member of a religious body known as Christadelphians, and, as such, obtained exemption from military service conditionally upon engaging in work of national importance, and that the Pelham Committee decided that he could remain in his present employment and approved of the rate of pay; whether he has the requisite statutory power to alter the pay and conditions of service of an established Civil servant for a reason of this kind; how 2110 many servants of the Post Office have been penalised in the same way; and whether he will review the whole question with a view to the penalty being removed?
§ The POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. Illingworth)I am aware of the circumstances of this case. The service of persons who have obtained exemption from military service on conscientious grounds is disallowed for pension and incremental purposes under a decision of the Government, which is applicable to the whole Civil Service. About 100 Post Office servants have been dealt with under the decision, and I have no power to make exceptions to it or to alter it.
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTHI am advised not.