§ 9. Sir Robert Youngasked the Secretary of State for Air whether the decision that no further commissions are to be granted direct to civilians will cancel out those who have been interviewed and recommended in the equipment branch and the administrative and special duties branch of the Royal Air Force; and, if so, will he reconsider the cases of approved applicants who have been ready for months to enter the Service and told the approximate period of time which would pass before they were required for duty?
§ The Secretary of State for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair)The Answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes." As the result of a review of requirements, it has become clear that the officer establishment of the Equipment, Accountant and Administrative and Special Duties Branches can now be filled by promotion from the ranks, except for occasional vacancies for which specialised qualifications are needed. As regards the last part of the Question, it has always been made clear to candidates when notifying them of recommendation for acceptance that the actual offer of appointment must be dependent upon the existence of appropriate vacancies.
§ Sir R. YoungIf the right hon. Gentleman is correct about the notification, 1918 does he not think that it is not fair to those approved applicants seeing they were deterred from applying to, or enlisting in, other branches of the Services?
§ Sir A. SinclairI am assured that none of the applicants now rejected has had an official notification of appointment on account of provisional acceptance. The form is: "You will be notified if and when it is possible."
§ Sir R. YoungIf applicants were told that they would likely be called to take up an appointment within two months surely that created the feeling that they were sure of it?
§ Sir A. SinclairI think the hon. Gentleman said "probably be called." I do not think that is a recommendation.