§ 93 and 94. Mr. TOOTILLasked the Minister of National Service (1) whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the new Man-Power Act will deprive a number of Nonconformist places of worship of the assistance of the lay preachers on whom the conduct of their services depends; in view of the importance of such services as a source of confidence and strength to the nation, will he issue an Order to the tribunals to exempt from military service those men who 973 produce evidence to show that they are duly accredited lay preachers of one of the recognised Churches who for the last four years have been continuously engaged in the conduct of divine worship; (2) whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the conduct of religious worship in many Nonconformist places of worship depends upon lay preachers, and that, although they are performing similar duties to those carried out by ordained clergy and ministers, yet no provision has been made for their exemption from military service; that hitherto they have not claimed such exemption, and that thousands of them are serving in His Majesty's Forces to-day; and will he state what steps he proposes to take?
§ Mr. BECKThe provision as to application to the statutory tribunals for exemption from military service applies to lay preachers in the same manner as to other classes of the community, who are at liberty to apply on either occupational or personal grounds, as laid down in the Military Service Acts. The question whether an individual lay preacher should be exempted in view of the importance of his services is decided by the tribunal on the merits of his case in the ordinary course. I am aware of the extent to which a large number of Nonconformist Churches are dependent upon the services of lay preachers, and any proposals which may be submitted by the representative bodies concerned will always receive careful consideration.