§ 8. Mr. Bellengerasked the Minister of Labour whether calling-up notices are sent per registered post to individuals ordered to report for service with the Armed Forces?
§ Mr. BellengerIs my right hon. Friend aware that in some cases, when evidence has had to be given of the service of a notice on a man, it has been very difficult for his own officer to say that service has been properly effected, and as this is a very important piece of evidence when a man is charged with desertion or with non-compliance with a calling-up notice, will he consider some more effective method of making certain that a man receives the notice?
§ Mr. BevinThe present practice is that laid down in the Act, under which it is my duty to send a notice to any person, for the purposes of any provision of the Act, by post to the person's last known address. I have looked into the matter very closely, and I cannot think it is practicable, in view of the thousands of notices which have to be sent out under the various parts of the National Service Acts—not only concerning military service—to do the whole business by registered post.