§ Mr. ANDERSONasked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the statement by Colonel Lawson, the military representative at the Chertsey Tribunal, that men of forty-one, placed on Reserve because of the age limit, are liable to be taken as substitutes in industrial employment, and to the statement at the House of Commons Appeal Tribunal by Captain Anstey in respect of a man over forty-one, and classified B 3, that he came under the substitution scheme; and whether he can state what powers exist under the Military Service Act to call up a man for purposes of industrial employment?
§ Mr. FORSTERAttention has not been called to any statements made by Colonel Lawson or Captain Anstey. No powers exist under the Military Service Act to call up a man for purposes of industrial employment, nor has it, so far as is known, ever been suggested that such powers did exist.
§ Mr. ANDERSONasked the Secretary of State for War whether he has read the statement of Captain Fisher at a meeting of the Shoreditch Tribunal that the scheme of substitution was to put men of lower medical categories in place of fitter men combed out from industry; that these substituted unfit men would be sent to the Labour Exchanges, and that if a man refused to go and take up such industrial employment an orderly or constable would be sent with him; and whether he can state under what powers such an action will be taken?
§ Mr. FORSTERIf any such statement has been made there has evidently been some misapprehension. It has not been suggested that physical compulsion should be used to enforce the tribunal's requirements as to registration at an Employment Exchange. If, however, a man does not comply with the tribunal's requirements in this respect the result may probably be that he will ultimately fail to obtain exemption from military service. The unfit men may be given exemption from military service by the tribunals on the condition that they find employment on 427W work of national importance which will release another man for military service, and they may be required to register at an Employment Exchange, partly in order that they may have the assistance of the Exchange in finding suitable employment and partly in order that the Exchange may have the opportunity of offering to them the employment to which labour should in the national interests be diverted. The men are not precluded from attempting to obtain employment on their own account, but if they do not register at the Exchange they will obviously reduce very considerably their chances of obtaining work which will satisfy the tribunal.