§ 14. Lord Apsleyasked the Secretary of State for Air the number of men and women employed at the Department of Civil Aviation and Air Registration Board, respectively; how many of both sexes are of military age; and the annual cost of their salaries?
Captain BalfourThe staff of the Department of Civil Aviation numbers 165 men and 172 women. The annual cost of their salaries is £78,000. The number of men between the ages of 18 and 41 is 65 and the number of women 56. Eleven of the men are liable or will be after 31st October next for calling up under the National Service (Armed Forces) Act, 1939. Thirty-one of the women are between the ages of 20 and 30. The staff of the Air Registration Board numbers 19 men and seven women. The annual cost of their salaries is £9,900. Ten of the male staff and five of the female staff are between the ages of 18 and 41. Three of the male staff are liable for calling up. Of the seven women, four are between the ages of 20 and 30.
§ Lord ApsleyIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a considerable shortage of clerks in the Army, the Air Force and in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, and, in view of the fact that much of the work in this Department is redundant, might it not be advisable to start reducing the staff?
Captain BalfourConsiderable reductions have been made in the staff of this Department, but I could not accept my Noble Friend's contention that this Department is redundant, in that the Registration Board are doing valuable work, 685 and the percentage of miles flown by civil aviation is 94 per cent. as compared with the pre-war year.
§ Lord ApsleyBut civil aviation is run by B.O.A. directly under the control of the Air Ministry, and this Department has no part to play except to act in an advisory capacity.