§ Mr. BOWERMANasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether upon demobilisation priority will be given to those who have served the whole period of the War, and particularly to those who have served in the Far East without home leave?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONAs has already been stated in this House, the scheme of demobilisation provides for a percentage of men who have served longest in theatres of war to be included in each party for dispersal; every effort will be made to bring back men from the Far East as rapidly as shipping permits.
§ Mr. SMALLWOODasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether there are numbers of men employed on duties at bases and elsewhere who have been invalided out of the fighting ranks; and whether, in the changed circumstances of the War, it is possible to grant these men early discharge?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI am afraid there is no likelihood of these men being considered for early discharge. There is no intention of treating them unsympathetic-ally, but it should be remembered that priority of discharge must be governed primarily by national requirements.