§ 3. Sir John Mellorasked the Minister of Labour whether in view of the loss of the right of appeal to a hardship tribunal 1286 in the case of members of the Auxiliary Air Force discharged and simultaneously called up for service in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, he will take steps to amend Section 4 of the National Service (No. 2) Act, 1941, so as to preserve in that case, and all similar cases, the rights provided by Section 6 of the principal Act?
§ Mr. BevinThe statutory provisions for granting postponement of liability to be called up under the National Service Acts are designed to deal with the call up of men from civil life to the Armed Forces or to a Civil Defence Force. I am not satisfied that these provisions would be appropriate for cases of transfer from one Force to another. Any difficulty that may arise in such cases is best dealt with on the lines indicated by my right hen. Friend the Secretary of State for Air in the answer he gave on the 9th of this month to my hon. Friend.
§ Sir J. MellorAs the calling-up notices which the Minister of Labour has issued to these men upon the termination of their engagement are civil notices and not military notices, is it not only right that these men should have the same treatment as civilians?
§ Mr. BevinThese men do not cease to be members of His Majesty's Forces. Therefore I cannot deal with the case for transfer from one Force to the other in the same way as in the original case.
§ Sir J. MellorI am asking whether the right hon. Gentleman will take steps to amend the Act.