HC Deb 27 February 1946 vol 419 cc399-400W
Sir C. Edwards

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware of the dissatisfaction of men serving in the M.E.F. about release and repatriations; that Group 26 was only to take four weeks to discharge the 295,000 personnel, but that Group 27 with 199,000 personnel would take seven weeks to discharge; that the men blame the commanding officers for keeping as many men as possible, so as to keep their position and rank as high as possible; that 60 printers in the survey company, R.E., were repatriated to the United Kingdom as redundant; and that, two weeks later, 299 men were sent from this country to exactly the same place and work; and if he will look into these matters with a view to having them put right

Mr. Bellenger

As regards the first three parts of the Question, I would refer my right hon. Friend to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service to the hon. and gallant Member for Uxbridge (Flight-Lieutenant Beswick) and the hon. Member for Drake (Mr. Medland) yesterday. I understand that the 60 printers to whom my right hon. Friend refers were repatriated from the Middle East because of changes in requirements after the surrender of Japan; they were all shortly due for Python or release. The reference to 299 men presumably relates to a draft of 219 survey tradesmen sent to the Middle East in January. They were all in late age and service groups and although some of them were in excess of the immediate requirements in M.E.F. for their particular trades, it was known that they could be absorbed into vacancies as replacements for soldiers about to be repatriated.