HC Deb 05 May 1943 vol 389 cc150-1
10. Sir Alfred Beit

asked the Secretary of State for Air the proportion of officers belonging to the general duties branch together with the proportion of non-commissioned officers mustered to air crews as a percentage of the total personnel of the Royal Air Force?

The Secretary of State for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair)

Officers of the general duties branch and non-commissioned officer air crews constitute 7 per cent. of the total strength of the Royal Air Force.

Sir A. Beit

In view of public misapprehension on the subject, will the right hon. Baronet take some suitable opportunity of letting it be known that only 7 per cent. of the R.A.F. personnel are qualified to fly?

Sir A. Sinclair

That is not quite true. A number of general duties officers are not in fact flying at present, and a substantial number of men who are included in the total personnel of the Royal Air Force are in fact air crews under training. They are not non-commissioned officers.