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Racing Motorists

Volume 523: debated on Tuesday 2 February 1954

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9.

asked the Minister of Labour in what circumstances exemption from National Service is granted to racing motorists.

:The National Service Acts do not empower me to grant exemption to any person who is liable under those Acts; therefore exemption from National Service is not granted to racing motorists.

:Can my hon. Friend explain how it is that Mike Hawthorn, described as a British racing motorist, is able to escape his responsibility, and is my hon. Friend aware that it gives very great offence to the parents of decent boys in this country when Mike Hawthorn is paraded in front of the Press and radio as a national hero, and will my hon. Friend say what he is doing about it?

The difficulty is that in this and in other cases of a similar kind the man has to be in this country for us to serve the call-up notice upon him, but I assure him we are not losing sight of the fact.

:Can the Parliamentary Secretary say whether any of these racing motorists, who may not have been granted exemption, have been granted deferment?