§ 26. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the latest number of National Service men given notice that they will have to serve an extra six months' conscription; and how many others he estimates will receive such notice.
§ Mr. Ramsden9,912 National Service Men have been warned that they will be retained for an extra six months. No more are required.
§ Mr. AllaunWhile I am very glad to know that no more are required, may I ask the hon. Gentleman whether he is aware that many people feel that it is a double injustice that men should have to serve this extra six months in peace time, and that for the one in three of these men who are married it is even more unfair?
§ Mr. RamsdenWe have debated this matter on many occasions. All I can say is that we are constantly scrutinising the numbers we need, to make sure that men are not kept back unnecessarily. We are glad that it has been possible to cancel some of these notices. But nobody who is kept back should be under any illusion about the essential nature of the service that he is performing.
§ Mr. RossMay I first congratulate the Minister on getting back to the figure he gave me on 27-th June of 9,912? It is rather strange that the figure he gave in answer to the same Question one month later was 9,121. Could the hon. Gentleman tell me, which is much more important, how many men have appealed against this decision and how many of these appeals have been heard?
§ Mr. RamsdenIn reply to the first part of the supplementary question, if the hon. Gentleman will study my right hon. Friend's answers he will see that these figures relate to different categories.
§ Mr. RamsdenThat is the explanation of the discrepancy. To date 1,764 men have submitted appeals, of which 1,109 have been considered and 655 are awaiting examination. Of the appeals so far considered 198 men have been exempted on hardship grounds.
§ Mr. Elwyn JonesIs the hon. Gentleman aware that there is a certain sense of frustration among many of these men who are being kept on, because they have not the feeling that they are required to do a useful job of work and many of them have immediate and useful occupations to go to? Their further retention from their ordinary civil employment is imposing great hardship. Will the hon. Gentleman give an assaurance that every individual case is reviewed regularly to see if retention is really necessary in each case?
§ Mr. RamsdenIn general, we review categories, obviously, but if individual cases are represented to us—and I think I remember one from the hon. Gentleman—we do scrutinise them each on their merits.