§ 11. Wing-Commander Jamesasked the Minister of Labour what checks are employed to ensure that conscientious 589 objectors granted exemption from military service and instead directed to other work, do in fact put in the full hours of that employment; and whether local police are instructed to watch the position?
§ Mr. BevinPeriodical inquiries are made to see whether such persons are engaged on work which accords with the conditions of their registration. Their hours of attendance are not supervised by my officers or by the police, but inquiries would be made into any cases where partial evasion was suspected.
§ Wing-Commander JamesCould not my right hon. Friend devise some machinery for keeping a regular watch, thus obviating the complaints about hours which continually come to Members?
§ Mr. BevinThe constant setting-up of machinery for dealing with all these problems involves in every case a claim upon me for additional man-power and the creation of new institutions. I must try to avoid that as much as I can. I do not think that this problem is so big as to warrant that.
§ Wing-Commander JamesHaving regard to the fact that the cases are comparatively few and that the local police can keep an eye on them, without the provision of more man-power, cannot a general direction be given to the police to watch cases more carefully?