§ 4. Mr. Liddallasked the Minister of Labour whether he will call for an immediate review of all those cases where deferment from military service has been given on the recommendation of any trade or industrial committee affecting persons of an age below that now imposed as a minimum and whose cases were considered when no such minimum applied?
§ Mr. BevinAs deferment is only granted in these cases for a limited period, never exceeding six months, and as fresh application has to be made for the period of deferment to be extended, the cases are constantly under review.
§ 5. Mr. Liddallasked the Minister of Labour the respective minimum ages at 146 which deferment can be given in each of the trades and industries for which appropriate committees have respectively been established, together with the dates on which such age limits were imposed?
§ Mr. BevinThe age limit of 30 at registration applies to men in all occupations referred to in my reply given to my hon. Friend on 9th July, except accountants, film technicians and officials of Employers' Organisations and Trade Unions in whose cases the age limit is 25 at registration. The age limits have been introduced at various dates as necessitated by the man-power requirements of the Forces.
§ 6. Mr. Liddallasked the Minister of Labour what exceptions there are to the rule that deferment should not be normally granted to any person under a certain age on the recommendation of an industrial committee; and what are the respective reasons therefor?
§ Mr. BevinExceptions are only made when the Advisory Committee concerned and my Department are satisfied that it is in the national interest to defer the calling up of the men in question. It is not possible to give details of all these cases, but they are confined to workers in key positions for whom substitutes are not for the time being available.