Mr. ALFRED DAVIESasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that practically all the members of the Post Office staff attested under the Derby scheme; whether he is aware that many of them could not be released by the Post Office until after the Military Service Acts were in operation; and whether it can be understood that his pledge to release the Derby men is applicable to all attested men, no matter on what date they were called up?
Captain GUESTI would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Kings win ford on the 3rd June. In this reply it was explained that the release of Post Office employés is governed by the same Regulations as those governing the release of other men,i.e., they must be eligible under current instructions. If they were certified by the Postmaster-General as "pivotal" or "civil demobilisers" and registered as such by the War Office prior to the 1st February, 1919, or are otherwise eligible under the Regulations, they are being released as rapidly as possible. I regret that I cannot authorise any departure from this procedure at present. As regards the release of Derby men, I would refer the hon. Member to the Memorandum published on the 17th July.