§ 61. Mr. Haleasked the Secretary of State for War for what reason and by what authority the Oldham man whose name has been supplied to him was, after being released from National Service, conscripted and sent to Germany in April, 1961.
§ Mr. ProfumoA National Service man who enlists on a Regular engagement is not thereby exempted from his liability under the National Service Acts. The man in question was called up for National Service last August, and took on a Regular engagement in October, from which he purchased his discharge within three months. He was, however, still liable to complete the balance of his National Service, and rather than leave the Army and be recalled later on, he chose to complete his National Service straight away. He had to be returned to this country because the Acts do not permit a man to be called up or recalled whilst he is outside the country. As soon as these formalities were completed, he was returned to Germany. If it were possible for a young man to escape part of his National Service by signing on as a Regular, and then purchasing his discharge, it might lead to widespread abuse. I must, therefore, continue to watch for this sort of thing most carefully, whether it happens by chance or on purpose.