§ 17. Mr. Gowerasked the Secretary of State for War if he will resume the granting of compassionate postings to National Service men in appropriate cases and where family circumstances merit special consideration; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. GowerWould not my right hon. Friend agree that the restoration of compassionate postings would appear to be consistent with the changes which have been made in National Service and, in particular, the slowing down of call-up?
§ Mr. HeadCompassionate postings were stopped in 1947. The policy since then has been to examine every case on its merits and to be as liberal as we can be in providing postings for deserving cases. At the same time, I believe it best to gauge the position both on the percentage of the British Army overseas and how far we are able to go. That we do and, as the position improves, so we are in a position to be more helpful in this matter.
§ Mr. BellengerWhy does the right hon. Gentleman continually refer back to 1947? It is nine years since that happened and the conditions were quite different then, when there was a large Army serving overseas, from what they are today. May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, since he does not really require so many National Service men now, why he does not give more lenient treatment to some of those troops who have good grounds for a compassionate posting nearer home?
§ Mr. HeadThere is some misunderstanding about this matter. There are no official compassionate postings but we give a good deal of help to many deserving cases throughout the Army. Compassionate posting has been stopped as a right for a long time, but we help in a great many cases.
§ Mr. GowerIs it not the case that by removing his power to award compassionate postings, my right hon. Friend has deprived himself of the opportunity of helping in some of these cases?
§ Mr. HeadNo, Sir, because I have the opportunity, although it is not called a compassionate posting, and I frequently make use of it.