§ 4. Mr. V. Yatesasked the Minister of Defence if he has yet consulted the Service Ministers upon the desirability of discontinuing the call-up of National Service men for annual training; and what action he proposes to take.
§ Sir W. MoncktonThe arrangements for this year will continue as announced in the White Paper on National Service of last October. I am not yet in a position to say whether any changes in the existing arrangements will be made in future years, but I and my Service colleagues will keep the matter under review.
§ Mr. YatesIs the Minister aware that in one camp I visited a number of these men had been ordered to peel potatoes from 8 o'clock to 12.30 in the morning for the whole fifteen days, and that the 551 authorities were hard put to it to provide work for many of those in that camp? Is this not a gross waste of the time of men withdrawn from industry?
§ Sir W. MoncktonUntil some measure such as was, perhaps, suggested in the last Question by the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Easington (Mr. Shinwell) takes place, that question would be a matter for the Secretary of State for War to deal with.
§ Mr. StokesIn support of the Question of my hon. Friend the Member for Ladywood (Mr. V. Yates), may I ask the Minister whether he will at least agree that the numbers involved in the diminution of the call-up as a result of the deferment system is really equivalent to a six months' cut in conscription, and that, therefore, it is as easy to do one as the other?
§ Sir W. MoncktonI think there is a substantial difference. If there is a six months' cut in the period of service we lose the use of the men at the time when they have been fully trained and are of most value to the Service. Deferment means not taking them in at all until a later stage, when they do the full two years.
§ Mr. StokesI am asking whether the numbers are virtually the same. That is what I want to know.
§ Sir W. MoncktonThe numbers serving at a given moment may be the same, but what I am suggesting is that there is the great advantage that all those who are serving are serving for two years.
§ 5. Mr. Hunterasked the Minister of Defence the number of National Service men called up in 1955 for their fifteen days' annual training, and the financial cost for that period.
§ Sir W. MoncktonAs the Answer involves a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. HunterArising out of that reply, I should like to ask the Minister to speed up his inquiry into the whole question of the fifteen-day training, because apart from family hardship there is dislocation of industry and commerce, and I am certain that the nation can be saved millions of pounds.
§ Sir W. MoncktonI certainly do not intend to have any delay in this matter, but hon. Members will appreciate that we are already well into the programme for this year. Perhaps we shall have to look at it for another year.
§ Following is the Answer:
| — | Number of reservists who received fifteen days annual training | Cost‡ |
| £ | ||
| Royal Navy | 5,000* | 96,000 |
| Army | 213,1001† | About 4,000,000 |
| Royal Air Force | 21,600 | 390,000 |
| TOTAL | 239,700 | £4,486,000 |
| *Those called up were mostly for twenty days training. | ||
| †Including those who attended eight-day camps. | ||
| ‡Covers allowances, pay, travelling, rations, etc. |
§ 8. Mr. Allaunasked the Minister of Defence if, in the light of Marshal Bulganin's proposal of 8th June, 1956, that nations should make voluntary reductions in their arms programmes without awaiting international agreement, he will now reconsider his refusal to end National Service.
§ Sir W. MoncktonI have nothing to add to the reply that I gave on 6th June to the hon. Member for Ladywood (Mr. V. Yates).
§ Mr. AllaunBut since the cold war has abated and throughout the world the ice is beginning to break up, could the right hon. and learned Gentleman not seize this opportunity of saying to the Russians, "Following your cuts of 1,840,000 men we will make cuts, and if you make another cut we will go further still"? Would not this move further relax world tension and produce that atmosphere which would be the condition for a collective disarmament agreement?
§ Sir W. MoncktonI can say only that I am not prepared at the moment to make a further statement about a reduction of our forces. I understand that the general matter of the supplementary question is being put one day this week to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. I think 553 that it would be more appropriate for him than for me to deal with such a broad question.
§ 9. Mr. Allaunasked the Minister of Defence on what grounds National Service men are at present exempted from their fifteen days' Reserve training; and if he will now extend them to all cases where family hardship or interference with industry is proved.
§ Sir W. MoncktonReserve training can be remitted or deferred on compassionate grounds. Applications are sympathetically considered. No hard and fast rule can however be laid down and individual cases must be dealt with on merits. National Service reservists in a limited number of civilian occupations are also normally exempted from Reserve training.
§ Mr. AllaunIs the Minister aware of one-man firms which are endangered where there is no substitute for the proprietor whilst he is doing his service? Is he also aware that in many of these very hard cases the men involved do no training at all during the fifteen days?
§ Sir W. MoncktonAs to the one-man firms, I said that each case must be dealt with on its merits, and it is not true that in every case of a one-man firm the hardship is such that a man ought to be excused his service.