§ 17. Mr. Kenneth Lindsayasked the Minister of Labour whether he will revise Administrative Memorandum No. 282, to ensure that boys who wish to enter the university before service with His Majesty's Forces may hear the decision of the University Joint Recruiting Board regarding deferment and that those who fail to obtain deferment may complete the essential pre-university services training to enter the university in October, 1949.
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsAdministrative Memorandum No. 282 deals with the arrangements for the call-up before the end of July, 1948, of boys who have definitely decided to do their military service before going to a university. It would clearly be impracticable to apply these arrangements in the case of boys who seek deferment, since it is not possible to reach decisions about deferment in time to permit of call-up before the end of July. Most universities do not finally decide their acceptances until the results of the Higher School Certificate examination are known at the end of August.
§ Mr. LindsayThat is the whole point, that these students are in rather a predicament because they are being asked to make their decision without knowing the essential facts. Is there no way for them to make a decision so that they either go to the university in the autumn, or do their service and have a chance 233 of getting into the university in 1949? Will the right hon. Gentleman look into that?
§ Mr. Ness EdwardsThis memorandum is the result of the request made in this House to give these boys a speedy call-up so that they can be released by October, 1949. I thought we had substantially met the wishes of the House in the matter, but I will certainly look into the other point raised. Unless these boys are called up by July, they cannot hope to start their university careers in October, 1949.