§ 19. Mr. Ellis Smithasked the Secretary of State for Air the principle on which leave is granted to all ranks; whether he is aware that Paragraph 4 of A. 657/40, as amended, is not satisfactory; what steps are to be taken to improve it; and will he give instructions that accrued leave shall be given within certain dates?
§ Sir A. SinclairSubject to the exigencies of the Service, all ranks serving at home may be granted leave, at the discretion of commanding officers, on the basis of 61 days a year for flying personnel and 28 days a year for ground personnel. In addition, week-end leave may be granted as circumstances permit. Local leave in overseas commands is at the discretion of the air officer commanding. 334 The leave year begins on 3rd September for personnel who were serving on 3rd September, 1939, and on the date of entering the Service for others. Flying personnel may be given leave at any time. Ground personnel are encouraged to take seven or 14 days' leave within every period of three or six months respectively, but air officers commanding may authorise the whole or part of this leave to be carried forward in exceptional circumstances. Leave may not, however, be carried forward from one leave year to another. This rule is applied throughout the Royal Air Force, and in the other Fighting Services as well. I have no reason to think that the arrangements generally are unsatisfactory.