§ 12. Mr. Haleasked the Minister of Defence to what extent effect has now been given to the undertaking given by Her Majesty's Government that compassionate release would be available to National Service personnel where circumstances are established which would have justified a grant of exemption.
§ Mr. SandysAll applications by National Service men for compassionate release are considered sympathetically. Broadly speaking, any grounds which would justify postponement of call-up justify compassionate release.
§ Mr. HaleWill the Minister call for an inquiry into the case of the Oldham soldier whose wife was living alone and expecting her first child when the house was broken into by night by a man intent on indecent assault and who has been the subject of further letters? The husband applied for compassionate leave or release, was refused both and told by the War Office that he had better pack his wife off to live with relatives in an overcrowded, two-roomed house a mile away and give up his home. Will the right hon. Gentleman look into that case and inform the House of the result of his looking into it?
§ Mr. SandysI am naturally not familiar with the circumstances of that case, but I assume that the hon. Gentleman has already got in touch with the Secretary of State for War about it.
§ Mr. StracheyWould not the right hon. Gentleman agree that there is a very strong case for widening grounds for compassionate release rather than ending any section of call-up earlier? We have urged this for some time. Would it not be a good thing to issue a directive to all three Services that they should considerably ease the grounds of compassionate release?
§ Mr. SandysAs the right hon. Gentleman may know, grounds for postponement of call-up have recently been widened. I think that my Answer makes it clear that those widened grounds for the postponement of call-up will apply equally to questions of application for compassionate release.