§ 1. Sir Ronald Rossasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that present regulations as to civilian employees in the R.N.A.S. becoming established favour those who worked as civilians during the recent war at the expense of ex-Service men, and that in Northern Ireland those who did not volunteer for the forces have consequently a great advantage over those who did; and if he will amend his regulations so as to ensure more fair treatment.
§ The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. Walter Edwards)The present regulations governing the establishment of Admiralty industrial employees were agreed with the trade union side of the Admiralty Industrial Council, and apply in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I regret that I am unable to amend those regulations.
§ Sir R. RossIs the Civil Lord aware of the monstrous situation that results—that those who volunteered and served in the Armed Forces, if they have survived, are kept out of employment by men Who never volunteered and who were in well-paid civilian service right through the war?
§ Mr. EdwardsI cannot agree that there is anything monstrous in this regulation. It is a regulation which applies to all employing bodies, whether Government or private, and that is, that a man who has not given service to that particular employing body cannot have that service counted. There is no 1178 difference made between the ex-Service man in Northern Ireland who volunteered for service and the man in the United Kingdom who also volunteered.
§ Sir R. RossIs not the Civil Lord aware of the obvious fact that there is a tremendous difference in Northern Ireland, where the National Service Act did not apply, and where, if a man did not volunteer for service he was not called up? Does he not think that it is. monstrous that people who did not volunteer to serve should have employment at the expense of those who served?
§ Mr. EdwardsI am aware that the Government of Northern Ireland did not think fit to apply the National Service Act.
§ Sir R. RossThat is not true.
§ Mr. EdwardsIn any case, it was not applied in Northern Ireland. Whoever was responsible for that, the plain fact is that it was not applied. The volunteer in the United Kingdom is every bit as good as the man who volunteered in Northern Ireland and served.
§ Mr. Oliver StanleyWill the Civil Lord correct the statement that the Government of Northern Ireland did not think fit to apply the National Service Act? Ulster was excluded from it by this House despite the request of Ulster to be included.
§ Mr. EdwardsI want to repeat what I have just said. [HON. MEMBERS: "Withdraw."] It is a statement of fact that the National Service Act did not apply in Northern Ireland. Therefore, the volunteer in Northern Ireland was no better than the volunteer in Great Britain.
§ Professor SavoryIs not the hon. Gentleman aware that the Government of Northern Ireland were unanimous in asking that the Act should apply in Northern Ireland, and that all the Ulster Members were unanimous about it? It was the United Kingdom Government who did not apply it. It was the British who refused to apply it.
§ Mr. EdwardsSo far as an answer is concerned, I have already answered.
§ Mr. Skeffington-LodgeIf any special favours are being sought for those from Northern Ireland, will my hon. Friend bear in mind that there are thousands of men who are in exactly the same position, who did a jolly good job for the Allies, and who came from Eire?
§ Sir R. RossWill not the Civil Lord withdraw the insult he has put on Northern Ireland generally by making a statement exactly contrary to the facts, which I know he did in ignorance?
§ Mr. EdwardsThere is no question of an insult. I can assure the House I had no thought of any insult. What I said was what I considered to be a statement of fact.
§ 2. Sir R. Rossasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many Eire citizens are now employed as civilians at Eglinton R.N.A. station; and how many of these have served in His Majesty's Forces in war.
§ Mr. W. EdwardsSeventeen citizens of Eire are employed as civilians at the Naval Air Station, Eglinton; six of them served in His Majesty's Forces in war.
§ Sir R. RossWill the Civil Lord arrange for those who are citizens of a country which is now going out of the Commonwealth, and who never served in the British Forces, to be removed, and for ex-Service men who did serve, to be put into their positions?
§ Mr. EdwardsWe shall do nothing of the sort.
§ Sir R. RossWhy not?