HC Deb 28 October 1947 vol 443 c61W
111. Mr. Levy

asked the Minister of Labour why special release from the Forces is not granted to men who volunteer for work in the mines unless they have previous experience of mining, whereas experience is not made a condition for the acceptance of civilian volunteers.

Mr. Isaacs

The opportunity of entering underground coalmining is brought specially to the notice of every man before enlistment and if he enters it he is not called up so long as he remains satisfactorily employed. To extend the arrangements for out-of-turn release from the Forces for underground coalmining to include men without previous experience would provide very few satisfactory recruits for the industry, whilst being extremely wasteful of military training resources.

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