§ 15. Mr. JOWETTasked the Minister of National Service if he is aware that, in consequence of the issue of a Proclamation by virtue of the Military Service (No. 2) Act, 1918, the Bradford local military service tribunal has been unable to grant total exemption from military service to Frank Cockroft, 23, Old Road, Great Horton, Bradford, aged nineteen, Group A, the only son left at home of parents who, at the beginning of the War, 1679 had five sons, two of their other sons having been killed in action, one being now a prisoner of war in, Germany, and another being on active service in France; if, having regard to the fact that the parents of the young man in question have already lost two sons and one son-in-law in the War and have one son and a son-in-law on active service in France and one son who is a prisoner of war, he will take steps to have the Proclamation; amended so as to allow total exemption in this and other similar cases; and if, in the meantime, he will ratify the decision of the Bradford local military service tribunal to grant exemption to Frank Cockroft until 1st December next?
§ Mr. BECKI was not aware of the particular case to which my hon. Friend refers. The conditions of the Proclamation were very carefully considered by the Government, and it was decided that, in view of the urgent necessity of the present time, the exceptions must be limited to the extent provided in the Proclamation.