§ 7. Mr. De Chairasked the Secretary of State for Air why, when officers and other ranks in the Service are invalided out of the R.A.F. as a result of wounds, no mention is made in the letter notifying the person of his discharge that it is a result of wounds received in action; and whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction felt among those invalided out as a result of wounds that the reason is defined as ill-health.
§ Sir A. SinclairI am grateful to my hon. Friend for drawing my attention to this point. I agree that the expression "ill-health" is inappropriate, and I am considering the adoption of alternative wording. I do not, however, consider it would be desirable to differentiate in this matter between invaliding due to wounds received in action and invaliding due to other causes such as flying accidents.
§ Mr. De ChairWhile I thank my right hon. Friend for undertaking to review this matter, will he bear in mind in doing so that there is a good deal of ill-feeling in the Service that wounds are put in the same category as minor illnesses and other things not comparable to flying accidents?
§ Sir A. SinclairI think my hon. Friend is putting his case too high in saying 1211 that. This description has been in force for 20 years, and I have no evidence of widespread or deep-seated dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, I agree that the wording can be improved, and I am going to try and do that.