§ Mr. S. Daviesasked the Minister of Labour if he will now favourably consider as a temporary measure the raising of the age of entry into the Armed Forces to 21 years until the Government decide on the reorganisation of the Armed Forces, whereby it may ultimately be agreed to abandon all forms of military conscription.
§ Mr. IsaacsNo, Sir. It would not be possible to meet the approved intakes for the Forces if entry were restricted to men of 21 years and over.
§ Mr. Aylesasked the Minister of Labour how many schoolteachers have been called up in the last three months; and if they are still being conscripted.
§ Mr. IsaacsThe general position is that teachers born in 1915, or later, are called up unless an application for their deferment is made and subsequently granted after consultation with the Ministry of Education. It has been and still is the practice to delay the call up of suitable young men to enable them to become qualified by a period of training at a teachers' training college. I am not aware precisely how many teachers were called up in the last three months but, apart from those in this latter category, the number is necessarily small.