§ 15. Wing - Commander Hulbertasked the Secretary of State for Air whether the present system of promotion of officers by commands, instead of centrally by the Air Ministry, has proved satisfactory?
§ Sir A. SinclairThe powers of commands to promote officers are limited to the grant of acting rank, up to that of wing-commander, to fill vacancies in approved establishments, in the absence or pending the posting of officers of the appropriate substantive or temporary ranks.
§ Mr. BoothbyDoes my right hon. Friend not think that this system tends to a certain rigidity and may prevent an interchange of officers between commands where it might be desirable?
§ Sir A. SinclairNo, Sir, I do not think that that is so. The system applies only to acting rank, and if there should be another officer of the appropriate rank who was qualified for that post he would be removed from another command to that post under this arrangement.
Wing-Commander JamesDoes my right hon. Friend not consider that the present decentralisation is desirable?
§ Sir A. SinclairYes, Sir, decentralisation is very useful.