21. Miss Rathboneasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that there 389 are some teachers in various parts of the country who have been dismissed from their posts and cannot obtain other posts as teachers because they are conscientious objectors or known pacifists, yet cannot take any other kind of posts because they are in a reserved occupation; and will he take steps to ensure that all such persons, whose names and facts are supplied to him, will be removed from the category of persons in a reserved occupation?
§ Mr. BevinI would refer the hon. Lady to my answer in the House on 18th July regarding the treatment of conscientious objectors by their employers. As I have stated on several occasions, there is nothing in the Schedule of Reserved Occupations which prevents a teacher or any other person from taking any kind of post, other than a whole-time post in one of the Services of National Defence.
Miss RathboneIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that some of these conscientious objectors would be willing to serve in the Royal Army Medical Corps, but are not allowed to do that because they are in a reserved occupation as teachers, and yet they are not allowed to teach?