§ Mr. R. Gibsonasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that university students engaged on dental and medical studies who are enrolled on the military service register and about to be called up under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939, have received notice postponing their calling up, but similar students, provisionally registered on the register of conscientious objectors, have not received such notice of postponement; and if he will take the necessary steps to secure equality of treatment between these two classes of students, as was done in the case of students under the Military Training Act, 1939?
§ Mr. E. BrownCertain dental and medical students are covered by the schedule of reserved occupations and therefore are not for the present being called up, though entered on the military service register. Those who have applied to be placed on the conscientious objectors' register must have their applications determined by the tribunal and until this has been done the question of calling them up does not arise. There is, therefore, so far as I can see, no inequality of treatment except that which arises from the application to be registered as a conscientious objector.