§ Order of the Day for the Second Reading read.
§ LORD SNELLMy Lords, the purpose of this Bill is to enable British subjects in foreign countries to be called up to the Armed Forces, and the Government ask for powers to issue Orders in Council for this purpose. This would involve that persons who, if they were in this country, would be liable to military service under the National Service Acts, would be called up for service. The Government regard the matter as urgent, especially in regard to Egypt. They recognize that the large British community in Egypt have already made, and are making, great voluntary contributions to the war effort and they wish to ensure, and the British community, itself, in Egypt wishes to ensure, that all British subjects in Egypt should take their part. The powers now sought will be in regard to other countries as well as Egypt. They will be used by Orders in Council, as required. As I say, the Government appreciate the way in which British subjects have come forward, but this Bill gives to the Government powers to go beyond purely voluntary effort whenever it may be necessary to do so. The Government do not at present propose to recommend an Order in Council 110 for British subjects in the United States of America. There is already an arrangement that British subjects should join the United States Army, if they do not enter any other military or other service approved of by the British Government. The question of the Dominions, the Colonies and the Mandated Territories is a separate question which is already being considered.
If your Lordships will permit me, I will describe in one or two words the way in which the Order in Council would operate in Egypt, to which I have referred. The machinery of it would be under the general control of the British Ambassador. There would be a strong Committee appointed, representative of the British Service and the British community, who would arrange the details necessary. Then there would be appointed a Board to advise the Ambassador, and this would include a lawyer, a military representative, a representative civilian and a woman member. These would determine which British subjects would be liable—subject, of course, to the right of appeal—to be called up. There would be special tribunals established to decide on claims for exemption and on questions of conscience, as well as on questions of deferment in the case of special family difficulties, and so on. These tribunals would not be under official control. The calling up could be made effective as the result of the special position in Egypt due to the presence in that country, under the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty, of British Forces. The Order in Council would apply to all British subjects living in Egypt, except those belonging to the Dominions, India, Burma, Newfoundland and Southern Rhodesia. So far as Colonials are concerned, as in this country there would be a further exception for those who had been resident for less than two years. The Orders in Council applying the provisions of this Bill to countries other than Egypt would naturally contain provisions appropriate to the particular country. Persons belonging to Protectorates or to Mandated Territories are not British subjects, and therefore would not be affected. I beg to move.
§ Moved, That the Bill be now read 2a.—(Lord Snell.)
§ LORD WEDGWOODMy Lords, I should like to ask the noble Lord whether 111 people from Cyprus are included or not. I think that most of the British subjects in Egypt are Greek-speaking Cypriots; but I am not clear whether Cyprus is regarded as a Protectorate and whether they are included or excluded.
§ LORD SNELLMy Lords, I am not advised on that technical question, but I will try to give the noble Lord information about it at a later stage.
§ LORD WEDGWOODI hope that they are included.
§ On Question, Bill read 2a, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.