§ Mr. JACOBSENasked the President of the Local Government Board if he is aware that many cases have occurred, and many more are likely to occur, of owners of one-man businesses being called up for Army service and obliged to close down to the advantage of other traders, including large companies with alien shareholders; and if he will consider arranging to give the Civil Liabilities (Military Service) Committee power to grant reasonable compensation to men whose businesses are closed, owing to their being called up, from funds levied pro rata on traders selling similar goods or engaged in similar businesses in given districts where practicable or from such levy supplemented by Government Grants, or from funds wholly supplied by Government where no such levy is advisable or practicable?
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERThe Military Service (Civil Liabilities) Committee already possess the power of making grants in respect of certain business obligations, but I do not think it would be practicable to extend the scheme to the payment of compensation in the circumstances referred to by my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. JACOBSENasked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the injustice of calling up for Army service owners of one-man businesses while numbers of younger men with less respon- 1022W sibilities and not indispensable are uncalled, he will arrange that where it appears that hardship would be caused by so calling up the owners of one-man businesses such be deferred until as late a date as the national interests will allow?
§ Mr. LONGI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on the 2nd instant to the hon. Member for the Attercliffe Division.