Clause 2. — (Whole-tine and part-time service.)

Part of Orders of the Day — National Service Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 7 May 1947.

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Photo of Captain Arthur Marsden Captain Arthur Marsden , Chertsey 12:00, 7 May 1947

I hope the Minister of Labour will stick to his guns, because he said in his Second Reading speech that while the period of 18 months might not be required for complete training, it was required for service, and therefore, he was saying that 18 months was not adequate for training. We are now getting only 12 months. I assure the Committee that one cannot train anybody to be an efficient sailor or soldier in 12 months. A great many people are not efficient in 12 years. Under the Amendment, we are asking for the equivalent of one week's training a year. It is not asking very much, in that long period, to ask for 15 more days. I have been put in this dilemma, as very many others have been. Eighteen months was not enough, 12 months is not so good, but at least it is better than nothing—