asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is intended in the new Military Convention with the United States to exempt entirely British subjects of Irish and Australian birth and parentage from military service in America; whether Americans above the age of thirty-one will be exempted in this country, or whether the same age limit for compulsory military service will apply to British and American subjects here; and when he expects to present to Parliament the full text of the Convention?

The hon. Member will be able to judge of the effect of the Convention when it is laid before the House. At present it has not been approved by the Senate, and I do not consider it desirable to deal with its terms by way of question and answer before it has been so approved and ratified. The date on which the Convention will be laid before the House depends on the date on which it is ratified.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that public discussion of this subject is going on in America, whereas we, who are equally interested, are debarred from having any information, even by question and answer in this House?

I am not aware that this subject is being discussed by question and answer in America. All I say is that while it is before the American Senate and American Government I do not think we had better discuss it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received applications from conscientious objectors qualified for exceptional employment to be allowed to undertake educational work; if so, from how many persons; and what number have been, or will be, allowed to undertake such work?

A certain number of the men employed under the Committee on the Employment of Conscientious Objectors who have been qualified for exceptional employment have applied to be authorised to take up educational work. No such application has been or will be granted, and no record has been kept of the number of such applications.

Has the opinion of the Board of Education, or of the President of the Board of Education, been taken on this matter; if so, what is that opinion?

No, Sir; the Committee have acted according to their own discretion.

Has the Home Office received any representation on this matter from the Board of Education, even if it-has not been consulted?

I could not say.

Before any concession of this sort is made, will the parents of scholars attending any school where it is proposed that these people shall be engaged be consulted?

The Committee have decided as a policy and a principle that educational work is not suitable work for conscientious objectors to be released to go to.

I would ask the hon. Member to proceed with the next question [No. 19].

asked the Home Secretary if he will have an inquiry made into the condition of J. Sumner, No. 456, Northallerton Prison, who is serving his fourth sentence of two years' hard labour; and whether, in view of the state of his health, the imprisonment he has already endured, and the treatment meted out to him by the military service tribunals, he will order the man's discharge?

I find on inquiry that this prisoner is in good health mentally and physically, and that there is no ground on which the Home Secretary could advise interference with his sentence.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that a weekly levy, the proceeds of which are sent to the clerical and republican fund to resist the extension of the Military Service Act to the South and West of Ireland, is being imposed by certain trade unions in Ireland; whether he is aware that loyal working men are compelled to subscribe under threats to this levy; is it in his power to take any action in this matter; and, if so, will he take such action without delay?

The reports which have reached me indicate that in the case of some unions a levy to resist Conscription has been imposed. There appears to be no evidence of threats to enforce the subscription. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

Is it legal for trade unions to impose a levy of this sort?

The hon. and gallant Gentleman should put that question to the Law Officers.

Could I send the right hon. Gentleman correspondence dealing with the matter?

Certainly.

Will he return it?

I cannot promise that.

asked the Prime Minister whether men between the ages of forty-one and fifty-one who are exempted by tribunals for business reasons are, after a long day's work, compelled to drill as Volunteers; whether embusqués in Government Departments, however young they may be, are exempted from such volunteering; and whether he proposes to continue this treatment of the older men?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. In the case of any person to whom a certificate of exemption has been granted by a tribunal since 30th April, 1918, it is competent to the tribunal to direct that the liability to service in-the Volunteer force imposed by Section 4, Sub-section (6) of the Military Service (No. 2) Act, 1918, shall not apply. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Christchurch by my right hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for War on Tuesday. I would add, moreover, that any Department whose staff could spare the time for work in the Volunteer force would be making a contribution more helpful to our military effort by releasing a larger proportion of its men for whole-time service.

asked the Minister of National Service what steps are being taken under the new Military Service Act to render available for public service qualified accountants within the new age limits; what results these steps have had; and how many of such cases remain to be considered by tribunals?

asked the Minister of National Service if he is aware that the Ministry of Munitions (Accountants Department) has issued a call upon accountants to make an immediate return of all qualified accountants at the front with a view to their being brought back here for national service; will he explain at the same time why the National Service officials are daily serving notices upon chartered accountants and incorporated accountants calling them up for military service; is he aware that on Friday next thirty qualified accountants come before the Manchester Tribunal upon an adjourned hearing, and unless something is done in the meantime these men will go into the Army and the State will be deprived of their training and experience at a time when their services are needed for civil and Government work; and will he try to secure something like consistency of policy in this matter between the Government Departments?

asked the Minister of National Service whether, in view of the fact that the Controller of Munition Accounts, Ministry of Munitions of War, has issued a circular, dated 1st May, 1918, to practising accountants asking for assistance and for a list of the names of chartered and incorporated accountants now serving; and whether, in view of the number of accountants who have already joined up and of the necessity of maintaining here accountants in practice and their principal clerks, he will arrange that the certified occupations list shall continue to apply to chartered and incorporated accountants to exempt them from military service?

The whole question of the supply of accountants for the public service and other indispensable Civil work has been under consideration, and it is proposed to establish a committee of professional accountants to consider the need and to advise the Ministry of National Service on the best means of meeting it.

Instructions have accordingly been given to arrange for the adjournment of all cases of accountants pending before tribunals, including, of course, those at Manchester referred to by the hon. Member for Blackburn.

When will the committee hold the first meeting?

I must have notice of that.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that in many cases applications for service have been turned down by the hon. Member for Leith Burghs.

That is a question which should be addressed to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of National Service how many Grade 1 and Grade 2 men are employed at the White City?

There are no Grade 1 men, and there is only one Grade 2 man, employed by the Ministry of National Service at the White City, and he is forty-four years of age.

asked the Minister of National Service (l) whether he is aware that Mr. Norman Strafford, of 95, Tonbridge Street, Leeds, an analytical chemist, has been called to the Colours, and is now serving; that this man, after a brilliant academic career, has been employed in work of national importance, i.e., the manufacture of T.N.T. and carbolic, particularly the preparation of meta and para cresols; that he was formerly graded as C1, but has now been placed in Grade 1, notwithstanding the fact that careful medical examination has shown a marked antero posterin curvature of the spine; whether, in view of this man's qualifications, his usefulness to his country as a chemist, and his state of health, certificates as to which have been sent to his Department, he will take steps to employ this man in such a capacity as will enable him to do real service in his country's interests; (2) whether he is aware that Mr. Norman Strafford, of 95, Tonbridge Street, Leeds, aged twenty-one years and ten months, was attested at Manchester on the 8th December, 1915, and placed in category C1; that he was placed in this category owing to curvature of the spine; that on Monday, 14th May, 1918, he was medically examined at Leeds and placed in category Grade 1; that he was subsequently carefully examined by two medical men who agreed that he was not fit for Grade 1; that he received his calling up notice to attend at Harewood Barracks on 28th May; that he was subsequently examined at York by the military doctor there, who admitted that his back was not fit for Grade 1; that, notwithstanding, he was posted to a regiment and sent to a camp at Rugeley, Staffordshire; and whether, in view of this man's physical condition and his unfitness for military service, he will take steps to have him released from military service; and have him returned to his civil employment where he can perform work of national importance?

My right hon. Friend has asked me to reply. As stated, Mr. Norman Strafford is an attested man aged twenty-one years and ten months, and was placed in Grade 1 on 14th May. I understand that Mr. Strafford made an application to the Appeal Tribunal for medical re-examination. This application appears to have been refused by the Appeal Tribunal as having reached them later than the prescribed date. This Ministry has no control over this decision. I am, however, having inquiries made as to the allegation against the National Service Medical Board contained in the question. I have examined the papers sent to me in regard to the technical qualifications of Mr. Strafford, but these do not appear in themselves to afford any grounds for the very exceptional action suggested by my hon. and gallant. Friend.