<P> The act also changed the trades considered essential services to the merchant navy, farming and coal mining (previously, essential services were coal mining, shipbuilding, engineering - related trades and--to a limited extent--medicine). Young men working in the essential services were exempted from National Service for a period of eight years . If they stopped working in these industries before this period of eight years ended (that is, before turning 25), they could be called up for National Service . </P> <P> In October 1950, in response to the British involvement in the Korean War, the service period was extended to two years . To compensate the reserve period was reduced by six months . </P> <P> National Service ended gradually from 1960 . In November 1960 the last men entered service, as call - ups formally ended on 31 December 1960, and the last National Servicemen left the armed forces in May 1963 . </P> <P> In 2015 Prince Harry made a call for bringing back the National Service . Following the launch of his 2009 film Harry Brown, English actor Michael Caine called for the reintroduction of national service in the UK to give young people "a sense of belonging rather than a sense of violence". </P>

When did they stop national service in the uk