§ 3. Mr. Wadeasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence whether he will amend the existing procedure relating to National Service men who, after completing their full-time service, develop conscientious objections to part-time service, in order to ensure that such National Service men are not obliged to serve a sentence of imprisonment prior to their plea of conscience being considered by the advisory tribunal.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence (Mr. Nigel Birch)I have nothing to add to the reply on this subject which I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, East (Mr. E. Fletcher) on 29th October, 1952.
§ Mr. WadeDoes the hon. Gentleman not consider that this procedure is contrary to the principles of justice? Does he agree with his hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for War who, in reply to a Question of mine yesterday, said that a person claiming conscientious objection has to provide some form of evidence that he really believes what he says; and does he agree with his hon. Friend that incarceration in a civilian prison like Wormwood Scrubs or some other jail is a suitable method of obtaining that evidence?
§ Mr. BirchThe hon. Gentleman realises that there is nothing new about this practice. It has been going on for a number of years, and hon. Members on both sides of the House realise that National Service, both whole-time and part-time, is a heavy burden upon the young men of this country. Those who seek to evade it should not be able to do so lightly. Such men as the hon. Member has in mind have already had a chance, when being called up, to state their conscientious objection and they have not done so.