HC Deb 12 June 1939 vol 348 cc918-9W
Mr. Oliver

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that Clause 4 of the Military Training Act provides, for the first time, for a medical examination of a comprehensive cross-section of the male age group 20–taking into account the results of the examinations conducted by the Ministry of National Service in 1917–n of 18 years of age in conjunction with the present lack of knowledge as to the health and physique of corresponding sections of the male population, he will consider arranging for the medical boards to elicit sufficient information from the examinees to enable the results to be classified according to occupational and economic status by adopting the Registrar-General's social classifications as employed in the Decennial Supplement for 1930– II (a), Occupational Mortality?

Mr. E. Brown

The records of the medical examinations of militiamen will yield valuable information as to the health and physique of men of different occupations in the 20– age group, but for technical reasons it will not be possible to classify the results in the way done the Decennial Supplement.

Mr. Goldie

asked the Home Secretary whether it is proposed that men between the ages of 20 and 21 who are undergoing sentences of detention in Borstal institutions shall perform their compulsory period of service as militiamen during such period of detention; and, if so, will such period of compulsory service be reckoned as part of the sentence of detention or if the period of compulsory service as militiamen in the case of such men will be deferred until their sentence of detention has been completed?

Sir S. Hoare

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour explained in reply to a question by the hon. Member for the Combined English Universities (Mr. E. Harvey) on the 5th instant, persons undergoing detention in Borstal institutions who are liable to military training will not be called up for such training while they are serving the sentences imposed by the court. Such persons will, however, on being released from detention be liable to be called up for military training if the period of one year from the date of their registration has not expired at the time of their release. It is the duty of persons who have not registered while undergoing detention to register on their release, and they will be liable to be called up for training during the period of one year from the date of registration.