§ 105. Mr. Viantasked the Secretary of State for War is he is aware that men who are being called up for their period of National Service training and are skilled craftsmen such as carpenters and joiners are being told that they cannot be classified as such whilst on National Service unless they sign on for a period of not less than three years; and if he will, in view of the demand for such craftsmen on the erection of houses, reconsider this policy and retain them not longer than the National Service period and at their trade as far as is practicable.
§ Mr. HeadWhenever practicable National Service men are employed in their trades or equivalent Army trades. This is, however, often not possible for skilled craftsmen, such as carpenters and joiners, since the Army's needs are met44W almost entirely by Regular soldiers. For this reason National Service men in these trades can only be sure of being posted to a Corps which caters for their particular trades if they undertake a Regular engagement.
§ 106. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that dictatorial methods are being used in some units of Her Majesty's Forces to induce National Service men to sign on for an extra year's service, thus making them Regular soldiers with liability to be drafted to Germany but, failing to comply with this threat, they will be drafted to serve in the Far East; and if he will issue instructions to commanding officers to end this.
§ Mr. HeadNo dictatorial methods of this kind are in use and no instructions have been issued that they should be used. The hon. Member may, however, have in mind the recent case in which the posting instructions for certain National Service men were altered and their unit, in informing the men of their new postings to a unit which would be going to the Far East, pointed out that they might continue to serve with their own regiment if they were to undertake a Regular engagement. I have looked into that case and I think that the unit acted in good faith in trying to let the men have all the facts on which to make their choice.