§ 119 Mr. LYNCHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) whether a number of officers of the Royal Naval Air Service who have distinguished themselves on active service have been trained at civilian aviation schools; if so, whether the activities of these schools will be encouraged; (2) whether his attention has been called to the fact that the civilian aviation schools at Hendon have done excellent work in supplying competent aviators to the Flying Services, and also that the activities of these schools do not clash with those of the military and naval schools; whether facilities will be given to these schools to continue their work; and (3) whether, under the Military Service Act, 1916, the civilian aviation schools will be compelled to close down, owing to pupils and employés alike being taken for military service; whether he is aware that the experience gained by instructors and mechanics at these schools is more valuably employed in their present occupation than as Infantry of the Line or even as pilots and mechanics in one of the Flying Services; and, if so, whether appropriate steps will be taken to secure that these schools shall continue their activities?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)I think it is very likely that pupils who have been trained at civilian aviation schools have distinguished themselves on active service, though I have no precise information upon the point. Generally, I may point out that the training given at these schools is only a small part of the training required to make an Air Service pilot, and with the increasing facilities for training at Service schools, where the training is shortened through the pilots receiving instruction in several subjects concurrently, it is hoped in the near future almost entirely to dispense with the necessity for using private schools for training R.N.A.S. pupils. I cannot, of course, say the extent to which these schools are affected by the provisions of the Military Service Act; that is a question which should be addressed to the War Office. As regards the staff of instructors and mechanics at these schools, it has always been open to them to apply for entry into the Royal Naval Air Service if they so desired.