HC Deb 18 December 1952 vol 509 cc1593-4
1. Mr. Langford-Holt

asked the Minister of Labour what exceptions there are to the National Service call-up to the Armed Forces.

The Minister of Labour (Sir Walter Monckton)

Apart from the special classes of persons listed in the First Schedule to the National Service Act, 1948, no young man of military age is excepted from liability to National Service. Extended deferment is, however, granted in the national interest to men employed in certain coalmining occupations, to regular agricultural workers born before 1933, to merchant seamen, to fishermen who are members of the Royal Naval Reserve (Patrol Service), and to a very few highly qualified scientists and engineers engaged on certain projects of the first importance and urgency.

Such men are only protected from call-up while engaged on the work in question, and if they leave their employment before reaching the age of 26 they become available for call-up. All other deferments are for a limited period, at the end of which the men are required, if medically fit, to carry out their National Service obligations.

Mr. Langford-Holt

Would my right hon. and learned Friend not agree that we in this country can ill afford the luxury, both in the case of the Exchequer and of the time of the Services, of training men for a considerable time when, in many cases, they will not, in any circumstances, and quite rightly, be required to serve during an emergency?

Mr. Chetwynd

Can the Minister say what evidence he has that people who are deferred avoid the call-up when it actually comes?

Sir W. Monckton

If I may first reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury (Mr. Langford-Holt), I appreciate the necessity of not wasting manpower and I shall endeavour so to administer my job as to avoid that. So far as possible, there is no escape by protracted deferment.

In reply to the second question, I would say that agricultural workers, who are very much concerned with some deferment, have not reached the age at which we can possibly say they have escaped it. With regard to deferment for educational purposes, steps are taken to see that call-up is not avoided.

30. Mr. F. M. Bennett

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the facts of the case of Mr. Pearce, 24, King's Road, Reading, details of which have been sent to him, whose application for postponement of call-up on compassionate grounds has been rejected; and if he will now exercise his discretion and refer this case to the umpire.

Sir W. Monckton

I have considered this case very carefully, but I can find no grounds for making an appeal to the umpire against the unanimous decision of the Military Service (Hardship) Committee.

Mr. Bennett

Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that the grounds on which this young man originally got a compassionate discharge from his call-up were the mortal and incurable diseases of his parents, and as those circumstances clearly have not altered except for the worse in the meanwhile, how can it be that grounds which were originally found to be sufficient for compassionate discharge are now found to be insufficient for a compassionate deferment?

Sir W. Monckton

My hon. Friend will be aware that so far as my jurisdiction is concerned I cannot exempt a man permanently. I can only, on the ground of hardship, postpone his call-up or re-call, as the case may be, to enable him to make other arrangements.