§ Dr. Petersasked the Minister of Agriculture (1) whether he will reconsider the case of Guardsman T. C. Emmington, 611W who was called up from the Army Reserve at the outbreak of war and subsequently granted indefinite release to carry on farming in Huntingdonshire and subsequently refused release, although he had purchased another farm in Cambridgeshire; and is be aware that a second notice of recall to the colours had been cancelled before this man completed his purchase of such farm and that he has been for months past acting as a batman instead of carrying on urgent work upon his farm;
(2) whether he is aware that Guardsman T. C. Emmington was not permitted to state his case before the Cambridgeshire War Agricultural Executive Committee, either in person or by his solicitor, and that such committee, unaware of the advice given by its expert officials to Mr. Emmington regarding the soil on his new farm and other matters, came to the decision that he had purchased the farm to keep out of the Army, which was, in fact, untrue; and whether, in the national interest, he will reconsider the suggestion that Mr. Emmington should either sell his farm or find a tenant to rent it?
Mr. HudsonI have decided after careful consideration of the circumstances that I would not be justified on agricultural grounds in recommending release from the Army in this case. I see no grounds for reconsidering this decision, the reasons for which I have already communicated to my hon. Friend.