§ Mr. Shinwellasked the Minister of Labour whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the arrangements for the calling up of men under the military training scheme?
§ Mr. E. BrownI would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to the hon. Member for South Croydon (Mr. H. G. Williams) on 16th May and to the hon. Members for Sedgefield (Mr. Leslie) and Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams) on 25th May, copies of which I am sending him.
Some modification may be necessary in the calling-up arrangements as announced on 16th May, as the men for the air defence of Great Britain are required in three-monthly groups, while men for the Field Army are required in two-monthly 219W groups. The effect of this on the calling-up arrangements will be that while in general men will be called up for training at intervals of two months, approximately half the September group will have their calling-up notices postponed to October, and half the March group to April.
The first group of men to be called up will consist of about 34,000, and they will receive their calling-up notices on or about Saturday, 1st July, requiring them to report to their units a fortnight later.