FIRST SCHEDULE.—(Length of Whole-Time Service.) (Hansard, 15 May 1947)

§ Mr. J. Freeman
I beg to move, in page 14, line 22, to leave out "twenty-eight," and to insert "fourteen."
10.30 p.m.
I thought it necessary to say a little about this when replying to the hon. and learned Gentleman just now. I said there had been careful consideration of the arguments he adduced on Friday. As a result of that consideration we are satisfied that we need this provision. Looking at it with a critical eye, we are not satisfied that we need 28 days, and I therefore ask the Committee to agree with us that it shall be reduced to 14 days. I hope the hon. and learned Member for Daventry (Mr. Manningham-Buller) and his friends will allow me not to go into too great detail about the sort of administrative difficulties which may arise. But it is within the knowledge of the Committee that Army Records and documentation generally are being carried out under great difficulties and very high pressure. It is obvious that before this Bill comes into force the release scheme for men in the Forces at present will be working at very high pressure indeed. When this Act, as I hope it becomes, starts to operate, the pressure in the Record Offices and administrations of the three Services will be at its height. I am sure, and we considered this very carefully, that there is a danger of administrative chaos unless we keep the thing as simple as we possibly can. Therefore, I trust the Committee will accept the Amendment and let us have 14 days instead of 28 days.

§ Mr. Oliver Stanley (Bristol, West)
I am rather surprised that the Under Secretary had to move this Amendment, because we thought that this was to be included in the redraft of paragraphs (2) and (3) which he promised for the Report stage, and we hoped that we would have before that time an opportunity to consider the new figure to be put in. We certainly do not want to delay the pro- 1840 ceedings now, but we would like a safeguard and the opportunity of a further discussion on this point. I am not saying for a moment that when the time comes we may not agree with it; but we would like the chance of further discussion, and perhaps a little more explanation from the hon. Gentleman, as to the administrative reasons which make this the shortest time which can be put into the Bill. I would prefer that it should not be moved tonight, or should he negatived, in order that the two paragraphs may be discussed together. If that is for any reason inconvenient, I would like at least an assurance that we will be able on the Report stage to discuss the whole new procedure and, if necessary, to raise any objections which we have to this figure.

§ The Minister of Defence (Mr. A. V Alexander)
I appreciate the point which the right hon. Gentleman has made. The fact is that we hoped to get on the Paper for tonight our Amendment about putting right the points which had been raised about this matter, but the actual wording was not quite ready. We wanted to make progress as fast as we could in Committee, and I am sure that if any question is addressed to us or any further point of explanation is wanted, on the Report stage, we shall do our best to meet them.

§ Mr. J. Freeman
I beg to move, in page 14, line 24, to leave out "twenty" and to insert "fourteen."
I move this Amendment in precisely the same terms. It is consequential.

§ Mr. Manningham-Buller
I do not think I need move this Amendment for the simple reason that it agrees entirely with the first part of the next Amendment, which the Minister is to move, to leave out paragraph (c).

§ Mr. J. Freeman
I beg to move, in page 14, line 33, to leave out paragraph (c), and to insert: (c) if leave of absence is granted to any person for a period comprising or immediately 1841 following the date on which his term of whole time service would otherwise be completed under this Schedule the service authority may postpone the completion of that term until a date not later than the expiry of his leave. As the hon. and learned Gentleman has just said, this Amendment which I. am moving bears precisely on the point which he made a moment ago. There was, when we looked at this Schedule, some uncertainty as to what precisely this subpara. (c) meant, an uncertainty with which I have a certain sympathy. It is now redrawn in language which I think is perfectly clear beyond any doubt or peradventure.

§ Mr. Manningham-Buller
I beg to move, in page 15, line 1, to leave out paragraph 3.
This deals with the very complicated question of what can be called a day, and if we proceed at this rate of progress we shall be able to call it one ourselves.

§ Mr. Alexander
We considered this carefully after the Committee stage and we are glad to make the concession.