§ Mr. TOUCHEasked the Under-Secretary for War if he is aware that Mr. Harold W. Everitt, electrical engineer to the Clacton Urban District Council has been refused a War Office badge on the ground that his works are not supplying power in connection with the preparation of munitions of war; will he say if this represents a modification of the War Office regulations under which badges were offered to skilled employés of electrical services who would be willing to enlist if called upon in an emergency; is he aware that the employés of an electrical corporation in the Midlands have received badges without any stipulation; and will he explain whether uniformity of practice will be observed in future and what the practice will be?
Mr. BAKERMr. Everitt was refused a War Office badge on the ground that his company was not supplying power for munitions of war purposes, and, further, that the undertaking to enlist, if called upon, which the issue of the badge would involve, did not appear suitable to his case. It was suggested to him that he might apply for an Admiralty badge, which does not require this undertaking, as his work seemed to be connected with that Department. There has been no change in the War Office procedure, which still is to offer badges to firms whose output is largely used for Government purposes. I have no knowledge of the case in the Midlands referred to, and no such badges have been issued by the War Office. Uniformity of practice is being observed as far as the complexity of conditions permits.