64. Miss Rathboneasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will consider granting to students recently called up such temporary release from service as will give them the benefit of the decision of the umpire in hardship cases under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939, to the effect that postponement of service should be granted when the student was within nine months of a critical examination for which he had been preparing for at least one year?
§ Mr. StanleyIn the case of men actually serving in the Army, military considerations do not permit of an extension of the concession mentioned in the answer given to my hon. And gallant Friend the Member for Lewes (Rear-Admiral Beamish) on 6th February last.
Miss RathboneDoes it mean that in individual cases it is possible to consider requests for suspension of military duty where men have only recently been called up?
§ Mr. StanleyIt means that with regard to men already in the Army we will consider requests for reliefs for a period of determination, but we cannot consider releases for a long period such as this.
Miss RathboneIn view of the fact that some men have served for only a few weeks, and that it would be impossible to do themselves justice in an examination if they were released only a day or two before the examination, could not consideration be given to the possibility of releasing them, if not too inconvenient, for a period of a few weeks?
§ Mr. StanleyWe want to do everything we can to meet these hard cases, but the hon. Lady must remember there is urgent need for soldiers, and especially soldiers who have commenced or, indeed, completed their training.