Brigadier-General Brownasked the Minister of Labour whether, when a man of the 39-40 class is called up to register 353W for National Service and has signed a registration form giving his employment partly as in a reserved occupation and partly as a general worker, it is permissible for registration authorities to alter the occupation qualification without informing him or his employer; and whether he will reconsider this, as such action may lead to fraud unless the parties concerned are informed of the alteration before the man is called up for his medical test?
§ Mr. BevinIt is the duty of the local officer of the Ministry of Labour and National Service to determine the primary occupation of a man registering under the National Service Acts. Information received from an employee, either at the time of registration or later, is verified by reference to the employer, who is notified if it is decided to classify the man in an occupation other than that specified by the employer. A man is not reserved if he does not follow, as his primary occupation, an occupation named in the Schedule. Heavy penalties are provided in cases where false information is knowingly or recklessly supplied. If my hon. and gallant Friend has a particular case in mind, perhaps he would be good enough to send me details.