Mr. Creech Jonesasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that narrow interpretations are being placed by the appellate tribunal in London on the meaning of conscientious objection to military service, and that before long genuine conscientious objectors will be taken into the military forces where they will be obliged to disobey orders, be court-martialled and severely punished, even where objectors have established the 246W genuineness of their objection to the satisfaction of the lower tribunals; and whether he proposes to take any action to prevent the punishment of conscience in this way?
§ Mr. E. BrownSection 5 (4) of the National Service (Armed Forces) Act provides that the decisions of the Appellate Tribunal shall be final, and I have no power to vary them.
§ Mr. Hicksasked the Minister of Labour how many persons have registered as conscientious objectors under the Military Training Act, 1939, and the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939, giving the number who have registered on religious grounds and on political grounds, respectively, and stating in each of these two categories the number who have been granted a certificate of conscientious objection freeing the applicant from all duties under the Military Training Act or the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, the number who have been ordered to undergo military training in a combatant unit, the number who have been ordered to undergo military training in a noncombatant unit, the number who have been ordered to undergo work of national importance at trade union rates, and the number who have been ordered to undergo training at a Ministry of Labour training centre at rates of pay similar to those paid to a member of His Majesty's Forces?
§ Mr. BrownAt 31st December, 1939, 15,626 persons had been provisionally registered as conscientious objectors under the Acts referred to. Statistics are not available to show the extent to which such registrations are based upon religious or political grounds. Up to 6th January, 1940, 4,988 applications had been considered by local tribunals. 714 applicants were ordered unconditional registration in the register of conscientious objectors, 868 had their names removed from that register and are liable for service in the Forces, 1,177 were registered for non-combatant duties only in the Forces, and 2,229 were registered in the register of conscientious objectors on condition that they undertook work under civilian control specified by the tribunal. No applicants have been directed by me to undergo training under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act.
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§ Mr. Hicksasked the Minister of Labour how many persons have appealed from the decisions of local tribunals to an appellate tribunal under the Military Training Act, 1939, and the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939, giving the number who have been registered on religious grounds and on political grounds, respectively, and stating in each of these two categories the number who have been granted a certificate of conscientious objection freeing the applicant from all duties under the Military Training Act or the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, the number who have been ordered to undergo military training in a combatant unit, the number who have been ordered to undergo military training in a non-combatant unit, the number who have been ordered to undergo work of national importance at trade union rates, and the number who have been ordered to undergo training at a Ministry of Labour training centre at rates of pay similar to those paid to a member of His Majesty's Forces?
§ Mr. BrownUp to 16th January, 1940, 897 persons had appealed to the Appellate Tribunal from decisions of local tribunals. Statistics are not available to show the extent to which the appellants were registered on religious or political grounds. Up to date 255 appeals have been considered by the Appellate Tribunal. As a result, nine applicants were ordered unconditional registration in the register of conscientious objectors, 71 had their names removed from that register and are liable for service in the Forces, 97 were registered for non-combatant duties only in the Forces, and 78 were registered in the register of conscientious objectors on condition that they undertook work under civilian control specified by the tribunal. Where applicants were ordered training under the Military Training Act, their cases have been referred again to the local tribunal under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act in order that civilian work, instead of training, may be specified. No applicants have been directed by me to undergo training under the latter Act.