NATIONAL SERVICE REGISTRATIONS (Hansard, 18 January 1949)

§ 14. Mr. Swingler
asked the Minister of Labour if he will now make a statement on the age of call-up during 1949 and 1950.

§ 17. Mr. Boyd-Carpenter
asked the Minister of Labour whether he is now in a position to state which age groups he proposes to call up for National Service during the present year.

§ Mr. Isaacs
There will be four registrations this year. The age of call-up during 1949 will, therefore, remain unchanged at a little above 18 years and three months. I have already announced that the first registration will take place on 26th February. The other registrations will take place on 21st May, 3rd September and 3rd December. I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing the age-classes to he registered on these dates.
I shall announce further registrations and any change in the age of call-up in 1950 as early as I can in order to give young men the longest possible notice. I think it will clear away certain misunderstandings if I add that, after registration, medical examinations are spread over the following three months. The oldest are examined first, so that all young men, whose cases present no special features, are called up at approximately the same age.
The exact date of call-up depends on a number of factors. For example, in order to fit young men into the places in the Services for which they are best suited, their qualifications, experience and aptitudes are taken into account as well as their preference for a particular Service. Normally an enlistment notice follows completion of medical examination after an interval of between four and six weeks.
If young men at school wish to be called up early in order to tit in their period of Service with the beginning of courses at the universities in the autumn of any year, their request will be granted. 11 This will also apply to teachers' training colleges and to full-time courses of appropriate standard at technical colleges. Boys who so desire are not called up before the end of the school term in which they are required to register or in which they reach the age of 18, whichever is the later.

§ Mr. Swingler
Whilst thanking the Minister for the full statement he has made about the age of call-up in 1949, may I ask him if he can now say whether it is still the intention of the Government to carry out the statement made in the Defence White Paper for 1948 to raise the age of call-up in 1950 to 18 years nine months?

§ Mr. Isaacs
No, Sir, no actual decision has been taken, or can be taken, until the requirements of the Services at that period are known. At the moment I am happy to say we have it stabilised for the current year at 18 years three months and a little over.

§ Mr. Boyd-Carpenter
Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many young men will be called up during 1949 as the result of following this procedure?

§ Mr. Isaacs
I am sorry to say I could not give that answer without notice but, making a guess, I think it is somewhere about 150,000.

§ Mr. Beechman
As it is now proposed to give educational facilities to those proposing to enter the inshore fishing industry, will the Minister take account of the fact that fishermen should be treated on the same lines as other people in regard to calling up and educational facilities?

§ Mr. Isaacs
If I understand the question aright, it relates to fishermen who are undergoing some educational course. The answer I have given applies not only to those who are going to the universities but to those wishing to go to technical colleges, and teachers' training colleges.

§ Colonel Lipton
Will the facilities be available for young men who wish to commence military duties at the age of 18?

§ Mr. Isaacs
Yes, where it is desired to start Service earlier so that it will enable them to complete their Service in time to take up their after-Service spheres of activity such facilities will be available.

Colonel Dower
Will the right hon. Gentleman, when calling up these young men, be careful that he sends them to the right places for enlistment, as several cases have been brought to my notice where young men have been sent to the wrong places of enlistment and have had to pay their railway fares back to London?

§ Mr. Isaacs
If our attention had been drawn to any such case we should have been glad to rectify any omission that had taken place.

§ Commander Noble
Could the Minister say to whom the 150,000 he has just mentioned refers because, from the figures we had before, that was to be the call-up for the Army alone?

§ Mr. Isaacs
I ventured a guess without looking at my papers. I would be glad if the hon. and gallant Gentleman would put a question to me, either on the Paper or privately, and I will give him the exact information.

§ Mr. Emrys Hughes
In view of the serious shortage of building labour in Scotland, does the Minister intend to call up any more people from the building industry to the Armed Forces?

§ Mr. Isaacs
Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down that Question.