§ 74. Lieut. Commander KENWORTHYasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what is the total number of commissioned officers borne on the active list of the Royal Air Force; how many of these 680 are held to be competent to fly and instantly available for flying; and how many carry out regular duties in the air?
§ Mr. LEACHThe answer to the first part of the question is 3,136. This includes 657 officers of stores, accountant, medical and other non-flying branches, and 160 ex-warrant officers of the Royal Naval Air Service. The answer to the second part of the question is 1,980, if officers under flying training are included. There are 1,703 fully qualified pilots. Qualified pilots who are permanently unfit are excluded from these figures. The answer to the last part of the question is, that all officers of or below the rank of wing commander, who have qualified as pilots and are medically fit to fly, carry out regular duty in the air sufficient to maintain them in constant flying practice.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYAre any steps being taken to reduce the number of officers who do not fly at all?