§ Mr. ANDERSONasked the Secretary to the Local Government Board whether his attention has beer drawn to the case of Reginald Southwick, a man in the employment of the North-Eastern Railway Company at Leeds, who is a prominent trade unionist and a representative of the workmen on the North-Eastern Conciliation Board, whether he is aware that this man, though in a certified occupation, was placed by the railway company on the spare list for the purpose of forcing' him into the Army, and that the company refused to let him leave and follow his occupation elsewhere; and, since the deliberate victimisation of an active trade unionist is alleged in this case, will he cause investigation to be made?
§ Mr. G. ROBERTSMy right hon. Friend has asked me to reply to this question. I will make inquiries in regard to this case. I may, however, remind the hon. Gentleman that a Committee has been set to with the object of dealing with cases in which railwaymen 643W are alleged to have been released for military service otherwise than in accordance with the instructions issued by the Railway Executive Committee in June last.