§ 17. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of State for Defence approximately how many members of the Armed Forces are at present absent without obtaining leave; how many of these joined the forces between the ages of 15 and 18 years; and if he will consider granting discharge for the latter category if they request it.
§ Lord BalnielService statistics are not such as to enable me to give all the information asked for, and I will write to the hon. Member. All requests for discharge are very carefully considered.
§ Mr. AllaunBut surely the figures should be known. Is the noble Lord aware that many of these young men get into petty crime and trouble when they are on the run in order to keep themselves? As many of them would give themselves up and suffer, say, a month's punishment if they knew that they could then be discharged, will the noble Lord consider this matter with a view to making a public announcement?
§ Lord BalnielI appreciate the deep concern which the hon. Gentleman has always shown in this matter, but I am sure that he will understand that service in the Armed Forces involves acceptance of military law, which is part of the law of the country. To allow men to escape the consequences of their absence simply because of their success in evading capture would be unfair to those who perform the service which they undertake when they enter the military forces and would have a harmful effect on the morale and discipline of the Armed Forces.
§ Mr. JohnDoes the noble Lord accept that there are many people in the pre-Donaldson Report category and that people who, if they had been born later, would have had the option to withdraw from the forces at 21 should now be placed in a special category?
§ Lord BalnielI do not accept that. By accepting the Donaldson Committee's Report we have made a major advance in liberalisation. I do not think it would be reasonable for us to undertake a retrospective act of the kind put forward by the hon. Gentleman.