§ 85. Sir R. Youngasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that Regular soldiers on reserve in 1939 were recalled for service; that some of these were returned to the workshops because of their skill; that these men have now been recalled although they are over 30 years of age and have been given high group numbers; and whether, seeing they would have been time expired men in 1944 and 1945, he will decide that their wartime work in industry should count as service, since their retention in industry was an administrative order.
§ Mr. LawsonIt is a fundamental principle of the release scheme that only service with the Colours on full pay should count for the purpose of assessing a man's age and service group. Moreover, the Regular soldiers in question must be treated in the same way as all other men who were released to industry during the war and subsequently recalled. I cannot, therefore, agree that the time spent by these men on Class W reserve while released to industry should be allowed to count towards their age and service groups or towards their Regular service with the Colours.
§ 88. Mr. Warbeyasked the Secretary of State for War which age and service release groups have now been reached by 183W his Department in the offer of Class B bulk release to carpenters and joiners.
§ Mr. LawsonThere are a number of sub-classifications under the general heading of "carpenters and joiners" and different groups have been reached in different cases and again in different arms of the Service. It has not so far been necessary in order to meet the demands of the Ministry of Labour and National Service to go beyond Group 38 in any of these occupations in any arm, and in some of the occupations and in some arms that Group has not yet been reached.