§ 4. Lieut.-Colonel Sir Thomas Mooreasked the Minister of Labour whether, in registering for military service, young men are still allowed to express a preference to serve in one particular Service or whether this system has now been abolished; and whether he is aware that a number of young men who registered on 22nd June were not given such freedom of choice?
§ Mr. BevinMen registering under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act may express a preference for Naval or Air Force service. The previous practice of asking each man separately whether he wishes to express such a preference has been suspended, but his right to do so is emphasised in the public notices and in the instructions to the Ministry's staff. I should point out that the extent to which effect can be given to preferences is determined, of course, by the number of vacancies in the Services concerned, and by the suitability of the individual applicant for the Service for which he expresses a preference.
§ Sir T. MooreMay I take it that, as far as possible, such preference will be observed, since, as is no doubt within the knowledge of the right hon. Gentleman, a soldier, sailor or airman in the Service which he prefers is more happy and more efficient?
§ Mr. BevinThat is correct, but I found that there were 175,000 waiting to be interviewed, many of whom would never be taken in. I felt that it was unjust to go on calling up men of a later age until these Services had determined whether they would take them or not.
§ Mr. WoodburnWould the Minister consider the possibility of asking the War Office, when it takes in young men, to take them to camps according to their occupation, in the special occupations of garage engineer and other engineers, so 983 that these men will not be put into the wrong places?