§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the reasons why the constituent of the hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, whose name has been sent to him, has been refused admission to the Women's Royal Naval Service.
§ Dr. David OwenThe individual referred to was rejected for service in the Women's Royal Naval Service on 29th January, 1970, on the grounds that she does not satisfy the nationality rules for entry. These rules require that candidates must:
- (a) at all times since birth have been a British subject (i.e. a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies or of a Commonwealth country) or citizen of the Irish Republic and
- (b) have been born in a country or territory which is, or then was, within the Commonwealth or in the Irish Republic and
- (c) have parents, both of whom were born in such a country or territory or in the Irish
424 Republic and have always been, or always were British subjects or citizens of the Irish Republic. She does not satisfy these rules because her father was born in Poland. There is provision for the rules to be waived in exceptional circumstances but there were no grounds for exercising the waiver in this case.