HC Deb 17 December 1943 vol 395 cc1821-2W
Mr. R. Morgan

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a senior grade civilian in a home pay office is called up for the Forces if under the age of 35 at the time of registration, while junior military personnel many years younger remain in the same offices; and whether he will modify this anomaly?

Sir J. Grigg

The call-up procedure followed in the case of civilians in pay offices is in accordance with the rules laid down for the Civil Service as a whole. Considerable numbers of, the military personnel of a high medical category in these offices have been transferred to combatant arms and more will be transferred if suitable civilian substitutes can be recruited. But in any case staff required for pay offices overseas is found from the military personnel of pay offices at home and therefore pay offices at home must be staffed to an appreciable extent by soldiers who can be sent abroad.