§ Mr. J. L. Williamsasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to consider the demobilisation, with their respective groups, of all Army personnel with five years or more service, irrespective of any order for deferment of release.
§ Mr. LawsonNo, Sir. This would mean altering the basis of the release scheme. I see no ground for recommending such a course at present.
§ Flying-Officer Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for War if those men who, in response to the Government appeal in 1943, volunteered as engineering cadets and on completion of their training were drafted into the Army, can have the period served in the engineering cadets counted in arriving at their age-plus-service release groups.
§ Mr. LawsonNo, Sir. No period before enlistment is allowed to reckon as service in fixing the age and service group, and I see no ground for recommending any exception to that rule in the case of these cadets.
Lieut.-Colonel Lindsayasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give an assurance that no further hold up of officers beyond demobilisation dates will take place.
§ Mr. LawsonI cannot at present give that assurance. As was explained by my hon. Friend on Thursday last, in reply to a Question by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bedwellty (Sir C. Edwards), the requirements of officers in the spring of 1946 are now being worked out, after which a further statement will be made about the later groups.
§ Flying-Officer Bowdenasked the Secretary of State for War how many officers in the A.E.C. in C.M.F. have been offered Class B release as schoolmasters; how many have been accepted; and if the offers of release are made in numerical order in accordance with age-plus-service release groups.
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§ Mr. LawsonAs I have previously stated, the records regarding Class B releases are not maintained separately by commands. I regret, therefore, that I cannot answer the first two parts of the Question. As regards the last part of the Question, I confirm that offers of bulk release are made in order of age and service group. Members of the A.E.C, who are needed in connection with the operation of the Army Education Scheme, are, however, not normally offered bulk release, the requisite numbers being made up from other arms and corps. Individual release as keymen is made regardless of age and service group.
§ Captain Chetwyndasked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the approximate dates for the release of officers in Group 27.
§ Mr. LawsonThese dates have not yet been fixed. I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given on 13th December to a Question by my right hon. Friend the Member for Bedwellty (Sir C. Edwards).