§ Mr. ANEURIN WILLIAMSasked the Secretary of State for War whether miners who are released by their employers for military service are given any opportunity of appealing to the tribunals on domestic or other grounds before they are required to join the Army?
§ Mr. FORSTERMiners who are released for military service are entitled to apply to tribunals for a renewal of their certificates of exemption, if unattested on any of the domestic or other grounds specified in Section 2 (i.) of the Military Service Act, 1916, or if attested on the grounds set out in the instructions to-tribunals.
§ Mr. BROOKESasked the Prime Minister if he will state the policy of the Government regarding the withdrawal from the mines of those men who, to avoid military service, have started work there since the War; whether he has official information showing that the miners themselves would raise any objection to this step; and whether he will explain why the retention of these amateur miners in their present posts is required?
Mr. SAMUELMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The policy of the Government, which is faced with the problem of obtaining an additional 15,000,000 tons of coal a year over and above the present rate of output, is to exempt from military service all persons at present employed, and so long as they continue to be employed, in the industry, excepting any men who may have gone into the mines since 24th June last. I am advised that there is no ground for supposing that any large number of men have entered the mines in order to evade military service.