§ 49. Mr. Beswickasked the Minister of Labour if he will review the liabilities of aircrew members of the air transport service under the National Service Act and place these merchant airmen on a similar basis to members of the Merchant Navy.
§ Sir W. MoncktonNo, Sir. There are special reasons for suspending the call-up of merchant seamen and these do not apply to aircrew members of the air transport service.
§ Mr. BeswickIn time of emergency would not these aircrews be expected to carry on in the same way? Is it not really a waste of national assets to take them off flying under the National Service Act?
§ Sir W. MoncktonIt is not possible for me to deal with that in detail now. I should like to know precisely what aircrew members the hon. Member has in mind. So far as pilots and navigators are concerned, they begin at 21 and what I am dealing with are boys of 18 to 20. The real reason why the Merchant Navy is differently treated is that the Royal Navy does not require all these National Service men and that, as merchant seamen will be wanted for naval purposes in an emergency, we need them where they are to avoid waste of time.
§ Mr. BeswickWill the right hon. and learned Gentleman listen to the representations on this matter from the appropriate organisations?
§ Sir W. MoncktonCertainly.