§ 40. Mr. S. Shephardasked the Minister of Labour if it is intended that apprentices who have received deferment for military service will be called upon to undertake Territorial training.
§ Mr. IsaacsNo, Sir, it is not intended to call upon apprentices to undertake Territorial training during their deferment.
§ Mr. ShephardBut is it right that these men should evade all forms of military service; and is it right that those who have been called up will have to do six years Territorial training, while their companions get off scot-free?
§ Mr. IsaacsI am not quite sure whether I have misunderstood the real purpose of the hon. Gentleman's Question, or whether he has misunderstood my answer. The point is that when an apprentice or a student asks for 202 deferment of service until after their training we do not call upon them to do Territorial training during their period of deferment.
§ Mr. W. ShepherdIs it not a fact that men in agriculture and in mining are not called up; and what reason is there for not calling them up for some form of Territorial service, in order to give them equality with the rest of the community?
§ Mr. IsaacsI am dealing with the Question on the Order Paper, which asks about the power and authority I have at the present time. I am happy to say that many miners and agricultural workers voluntarily do Territorial service, although they are deferred.