§ Mr. C. WHITEasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that, notwithstanding his promise that the calling-up notices to soldiers working on farms should be temporarily cancelled, thirty-one have been called to their units from the county of Derby, and have been refused permission to return to their employment pending the decision of the war agricultural committee as to who shall remain in civil employment; and whether, if the names of the soldiers are supplied to him, he will order then return till the decision of the war agricultural committee is given, or, in the alternative, if these recalled men are selected by the said committee, he will at once order their return?
§ Mr. FORSTERInquiry is being made, and the hon. Member will be informed of the result as soon as possible.
§ Mr. CLOUGHasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture what steps he is taking to ensure that the local committees consider, in the selection 601W of the 20 per cent. of the men of the Agricultural Companies who are to be left on the land, the claims of the whole number of them and not merely those who, happening to hear of the Regulation, may take the opportunity to apply?
§ Mr. PRATTThe Board have not considered it necessary to issue detailed instructions to the county agricultural executive committees as to the method to be adopted in selecting the 20 per cent. of the men of the Agricultural Companies who are to be retained. The committees have had considerable experience in connection with recruiting in weighing the merits of individual cases and they are in personal communication with the commandant of the companies who has particulars of every soldier working on the Land in the county, so that the hon. Member may rest assured that the case of every man will receive due consideration.