§ Mr. R. McNEILLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland, in view of the fact that 518W the farming interest in Great Britain has been so gravely disturbed by compulsory recruitment for the Army that essential agricultural work is only carried on with extreme effort and difficulty, and with the assistance of female and prisoner labour, if he will say why there is no intention of disturbing the farming interest in Ireland, where agricultural labour is abundant in proportion to the needs of the land; and if the expectation that not many of the rural population will prove available for military purposes signifies that Ireland is not to be called upon for sacrifice comparable with that required of Great Britain?
§ Mr. SHORTTHaving regard to the great increase in tillage and the importance to the United Kingdom of food production in Ireland, agricultural labour in Ireland is not abundant in proportion to the needs of the land. Ireland is being called upon to make sacrifices comparable with the rest of the Empire.
§ Mr. McNEILLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland if he will say, having regard to the fact that Ireland, with a population approximately the same as that of Scotland, has contributed by voluntary enlistment 400,000 fewer recruits to the Army than Scotland, why 50,000 new recruits is regarded as an equitable ratio for Ireland; and, in view of the Prime Minister's statement two months ago that the need for recruits from Ireland was then urgent and immediate, why it has been decided that the equitable ratio from Ireland is not required for the next four months?
§ Mr. SHORTTI am not aware of any grounds for the hon. Member's statement as to voluntary enlistment in Scotland and Ireland. It has not been decided that Ireland's contribution will not be required for the next four months, and steps are being taken to obtain Irish recruits as speedily as possible
Colonel Sir J. HOPEasked the Minister of National Service whether, in order to assist Ireland to provide an equitable ratio of recruits, he will instruct the Regional Deputy Directors of Labour Supply that they should, where practicable, submit on A.F.W. 3932 the names of Irishmen who have since October, 1916, come from Ireland to engage on munitions and other Government work, in order that the War Office may take steps to provide British soldiers of categories other than A as substitutes?
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§ Mr. BECKThe Army form W. 3932 is intended for the submission of names of men in industry who are exempted by a tribunal pending the provision of a substitute. As this procedure does not apply in the case of Irishmen, it would not be practicable to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion.