§ 38. Mr. Keenanasked the Minister of Labour the numbers of those called up for National Service in 1949, 1950, 1951, and to the latest date for 1952: the number of those deferred each year separately; and the number of those taken for National Service in each of the years after their period of deferment was over.
§ Mr. WatkinsonAs the reply includes a table of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. KeenanCan the Parliamentary Secretary give any indication as to whether the figures of those called after deferment permit of us assuming that deferment too often means exemption, because that is the position as some of us see it? I think that the Department should look at this matter because of the fact that those who are fortunate enough to get deferment because of the career that may be before them is to the disadvantage of those aged 18 who are called up? It is not fair to them.
§ Mr. WatkinsonI do not think I can add very much to the reply I gave the hon. Member on 31st July, when I said as plainly as I could that my Ministry takes the utmost care to see that the call-up is universally and fairly applied.
§ Following is the table:
| Year | Number of men called-up during the year | Estimated number belonging to age groups earlier than that registered during the year* called-up on expiry of deferment (included in column (1)) | Estimated number of men granted determent during the year | |
| (1) | (2) | (3) | ||
| 1949 | … | 166,600 | 44,000 | 105,000 |
| 1950 | … | 174,200 | 62,000 | 110,000 |
| 1951 | … | 168,700 | 57,000 | 105,000 |
| 1952 (first nine months) | … | 132000 | 42,000 | 105,000 |
| * The age classes registered for National Service in 1949, 1950 and 1951 were the 1931, 1932 and 1933 classes respectively. The 1934 age class was registered in the first nine months of 1952. |