HC Deb 31 May 1916 vol 82 cc2733-4W
Mr. WALTER ROCH

asked the Undersecretary of State for War, if his attention has been called to the fact that the Proclamation calling up the groups of 13th May fixes no time within which appeals for exemption should be lodged, such as was fixed by the previous Proclamations; and if he can state within what time appeals must be lodged under this Proclamation?

Mr. TENNANT

The time within which application for exemption should be lodged has advisedly been omitted from recent Proclamations calling up groups, as the period for application has not been the same in all cases. A man who claims on personal grounds is required to send in his application within ten days after the Proclamation is posted, or if his group has already been called up at the time he attests, within ten days after the day on which he was attested. Hitherto it has not been found practicable to give local tribunals jurisdiction to receive a late application for an attested man, but under the new instructions which will shortly be issued relating to attested men, in consequence of the new Act, provision will be made giving the tribunal jurisdiction, for good reasons shown, to receive an application in respect of a voluntarily attested man not later than seven days after individual notice has been sent to the man calling him up for service with the Colours. This is already the rule for voluntarily attested men who make an application on the ground that they are engaged in a certified occupation.