§ 20. Mr. Benn Levyasked the Minister of Labour what would be the overall delay in the present release scheme if students and trainees engaged upon accepted courses were called up on the completion of their course instead of in the middle of it as is often the case under present regulations.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThe only cases in which deferment of call-up for the duration of a recognised course is refused, are those where students cannot retain their places at a university or other institution, or where they are not up to the required standard to complete the course. While the effect on the release scheme would be small if they were all granted deferment, it would be wrong to do so.
§ Mr. LevyWill my right hon. Friend consider cases which I have sent him, and about which we have already been in correspondence, which seem to disprove his original thesis?
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThe position is that no student who has jumped a claim is allowed to remain in the university if it means the exclusion of a man who has been in the Forces. The other category are those who fail at their examination, and whom, on the advice of the chancellor of the university, we have called up. Those are the only two types of cases.
§ Mr. LevyThis matter does not refer only to university courses, but to others. There are cases where youngsters have been yanked off in the middle of their course, and not allowed to complete it.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsI would refer my hon. Friend to my original answer.