§ 27. Mr. SAKLATVALAasked the Secretary of State for War, of the 5,260 recruits obtained for the Army Supplementary Reserve up to the 7th February, the number drawn from each trade specified in the pamphlet on the Supplementary Reserve issued with Army Council Instruction 591, of 1924?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Sir Laming Worthington-Evans)These particulars are not available at the War 222 Office, and I do not think that the information would be of sufficient value to justify the labour involved in collecting it from the Record Offices where it is kept.
§ Mr. SAKLATVALAConsidering that special efforts were made to raise this Supplementary Corps from technically trained workmen, is it not due to this House to know whether technically trained men in different trades are being recruited or not?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe House does know the number of recruits. What I am saying is that it does not seem to me to be worth the labour to ascertain in which category each man is.
§ Mr. SAKLATVALAMay we not know if there are sufficient numbers from each trade or not?
§ 31. Mr. SAKLATVALAasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has approached trade union groups, as he did groups of employers, to enlist their sympathy and assistance in encouraging recruiting for the Army Supplementary Reserve; and, if so, how many and which trade unions were they?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSI am in negotiation with the National Union of Railwaymen and the Transport and General Workers' Union with a view to securing their sympathy and support.
§ 33. Mr. SAKLATVALAasked the Secretary of State for War on what date did the late Secretary of State for War give an assurance that the men recruited for Army Supplementary Reserve would not be used in civil disputes, and on what date did the War Office receive a request from the National Union of Railwaymen to repeat this assurance; and what was the reason given by them for this request?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSThe only assurance given by my predecessor in this matter that I am aware of is that contained in Army Orders 284 and 285 of August, 1924, and Army Order 343 of September, 1924, to the effect that the liability of the Supplementary Reserve to be called out in aid of the civil power will not be enforced. I am now in communication with the National Union of Railwaymen.
§ Mr. SAKLATVALAMay we know what the contention raised by the National Union of Railwaymen is which necessitates this second application?
§ Sir L. WORTHINGTON-EVANSObviously I cannot do that in answer to a question, but the hon. Member will have an opportunity when the Army Estimates are down of further pursuing the matter if he so desires.