Lieutenant-Colonel Sir J. HOPEasked the Minister of Labour whether he will consider the advisability of extending the date of 1st February, 1919, before which all applications for demobilisation of apprentices must be received in order to meet cases where the applications have been delayed through no fault of the applicants?
§ Mr. WARDLEThe Government after careful consideration decided that it was necessary to make a clean-cut in order that there might be a definite and ascertained body of men available to constitute the Armies of Occupation. Any extension of the date of application for pivotal men would defeat this policy. My right hon. Friend regrets, therefore, that he is not able to entertain this suggestion.