HC Deb 24 April 1956 vol 551 cc1610-1
42. Mr. Hector Hughes

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men who have been, respectively, called up and deferred, respectively, in England and Scotland, during each of the years 1950 to 1955.

The Minister of Labour and National Service (Mr. Iain Macleod)

As the Answer includes a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Hughes

Has the Minister considered the figures, whatever they are, in relation to our productivity and exports, and if so, with what results?

Mr. Macleod

The hon. and learned Gentleman has not seen the figures, but he will be able to greet the unseen with a cheer because they show how much better Scotland does than England in this respect.

Following is the Answer:

Mr. Iain Macleod

No, Sir. I have no power to exempt men from liability to National Service though as the hon. and learned Member is aware arrangements exist for deferment of call-up. So far as these are concerned I would refer the hon. and learned Member to my reply to his Question of 6th March, 1956, to which I have nothing to add.

Mr. Hughes

Has not the Minister been able to review these exemptions in the light of the current conversations with Russian statesmen now in London?

Mr. Macleod

I do not think they have been reviewed particularly in relation to those conversations. This matter is constantly under review by the Government, and a number of exemptions have been made recently.

Mr. Awbery

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the call-up is having a serious effect upon the railway system in the South-West, where young men are being called upon to work at night although not allowed by law to do so? Will he look into the way in which the call-up affects the railway system?

Mr. Macleod

Of course, the call-up causes difficulty. The Forces today are by no means an unskilled occupation; indeed they never have been. Secondly, the more exemptions we make the further we get away from the principle of universality which is one of the things which make National Service acceptable in this country.