§ 20. Mr. Allaunasked the Secretary of State for War if he will release from National Service a young Salford man, details about whom have been sent to him, who, having been discharged after nine months, on medical grounds, from the Regular Army, was then called up to do his National Service.
§ Mr. HeadNo, Sir. This man was not up to the standard necessary to remain a Regular soldier but he was fit for National Service with base units. He is at present serving as an ammunition storeman near Carlisle, and I am advised that a specialist medical examination on 19th January showed him to be fit to remain in the Army.
§ Mr. AllaunWhy is there this distinction between the requirements for the Regulars and those for National Service men when, a moment ago, the Minister was defending the right to send conscripts to theatres of war?
§ Mr. HeadThis is a very old question. Very briefly, I would say that the Regular who is going to make the Army his career must be prepared to serve anywhere overseas or at home. [HON. MEMBERS: "What about the National Service man."] The National Service man, under the Regulations governing fitness, is called up if he is fit for base duties at home because 741 it is thought unfair that if he is able to serve he should be exempted when others are doing their National Service.
§ 21. Mr Doddsasked the Secretary of State for War, in view of the medical testimony that 23199255 Sapper J. Meager is physically and psychologically unfit for military service of any kind, what it is proposed to do with this young man.
§ Mr. HeadSapper Meager has appeared before a medical board who recommended his discharge on medical grounds.
§ Mr. DoddsWhy is it that month after month I have to demand in this House that men who should never be in the Forces at all should come out? This is the twentieth man I have got out of the Forces. Is it not time to look at the system that takes them in?
§ Mr. HeadI have not noticed whether it is the twentieth time or not: I very much doubt it. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] The hon. Member, when he said "twentieth," may have spoken figuratively. I say that I am extremely surprised if as many as twenty men have come into this category. Sapper Meager was passed fit by the Ministry of Labour and sent to the Army. He was a psychiatric case. These cases are difficult. It is not easy at once to be certain about them. The hon. Member will appreciate that we have to be careful in these psychiatric cases, and, to be sure of our ground, we have them studied by specialists.
§ Mr. DoddsOn a point of order. Since the Minister cast doubt on the statement I made, may I ask whether he is aware that I am referring to men passed by the Ministry of Labour and taken into the Royal Air Force and the Army, and the number is now twenty?
§ Mr. SpeakerThat is not a point of order.
§ 24. Mr. Allaunasked the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the case of Private Harry Crutchley of Salford, whose blind mother was left without care for eighteen months, yet whose release from National Service, previously refused, was secured within three days of newspapers drawing attention to the matter, he will order an immediate re-investigation of all rejected appeals for release from National Service in the Army.
§ Mr. HeadThe hon. Member's facts are wrong.
Private Crutchley made no application for deferment of call-up because of his mother's blindness, probably because she then lived with his grandmother. He did apply for release in August when this arrangement finished, but his application was refused because his sister said that she would look after her. Subsequently, this arrangement broke down and it was then that the soldier was released.
We take particular trouble to give careful and sympathetic consideration to appeals for release on compassionate grounds, and I think that the hon. Member's Question is highly misleading.
§ Mr. AllaunIs the Minister aware that Private Crutchley went absent without leave six times in order to be with his mother, but that his release was still refused? [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."] Hon. Members must now agree that Private Crutchley was right. Is the Minister further aware that I am at present dealing with no fewer than eight similar cases—mostly of men whose mothers are widows with large numbers of small children? Does not that indicate that there must be a very large number of tragic cases which need re-examination?
§ Mr. HeadI am particularly interested in the subject. The Army has to be careful, first, that genuine cases are dealt with promptly and sympathetically, and secondly, that bogus cases are resisted. It is most important that we should be scrupulously fair in these matters. We are helped by S.S.A.F.A. and many other organisations. I think that, on the whole, we have looked into such cases very carefully, but if the hon. Member has knowledge of other cases of a similar kind I hope that he will let me know.