§ 43. Mr. Montagueasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that craftsmen in training at the Royal Air Force camp at Henlow are expected to perform duties as domestics after their day's work; whether there are other domestic units apart from craftsmen; whether fatigue duty of this kind is imposed at any other Royal Air Force camp; and what are the quartering conditions for craftsmen in training at Henlow?
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Lieut.-Colonel Muirhead)As regards the first three parts of the question, airmen undergoing technical training at Henlow and other Royal Air Force stations are required, equally with other airmen at those stations, to perform certain daily duties of a domestic character. Special airmen and civilian labourers are provided for the performance of general camp duties. As regards the last part of the question, airmen under training at Henlow are accommodated in barracks of the latest type and in hutments. Space is somewhat limited, owing to the large number of recruits, but the accommodation is regarded as satisfactory.
§ Mr. MontagueAre these craftsmen engaged on domestic duties work all day, or only during a part of the day?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MuirheadThey are not engaged in domestic duties all day; but it is clear that anyone in one of the Services may have his day divided up between technical training, Service training, and other duties to which the hon. Member may refer as domestic duties. No specific provision is made for them.
§ Mr. MontagueWhat I want to ask is whether these craftsmen who are engaged in training are doing training work for the whole day, or for only a part of the day?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MuirheadThey are not doing their training for the whole 24 23 hours. In a Service man's day there is no question about the whole day being devoted to one particular form of training or the performance of other duties. He is there the whole day, and it may be divided up in different proportions between one form of duty and another.
§ Mr. MontagueDoes the Minister think that a man who has been engaged in engineering work or training work for eight hours a day is fit for domestic duties?
§ Lieut.-Colonel MuirheadI am not going into the question of the specific number of hours per day. Eight hours was not mentioned in the hon. Member's question.