HC Deb 10 October 1945 vol 414 cc195-8
1. Mr. Quintin Hogg

asked the Under-secretary of State for Air when he will be in a position to make a statement regarding the progress and prospects of the educational and vocational training scheme in the R.A.F.

The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Mr. Strachey)

With Mr. Speaker's permission and that of the House, I propose to make a statement at the end of Questions.

Later—

Mr. Strachey

The Educational and Vocational Training Scheme in the Royal Air Force is now beginning to get under way. The result of a sample census showed that some 600,000 airmen and airwomen—about 65% of the total strength of the R.A.F.—want to make use of the scheme in one way or another. We shall satisfy this splendid demand for adult education to the very limit of our resources. In addition to our own education officers some 9,000 full-time instructors have been trained—and many part-time instructors are being used. We have so far provided 700,000 school books, three million exercise books, 100,000 training syllabuses, 1,600,000 Ministry of Labour pamphlets and much other scholastic material. So far about 200,000 students have actually begun work in the Home Command. I cannot yet give the corresponding figures for Overseas Commands, but there too the scheme is getting going.

The courses are of two kinds: educational courses—which include training in citizenship, improving a man's or woman's standard of basic education, or helping him or her to prepare for University and professional examinations: vocational courses—which consist of technical instruction for a trade. A man may wish to learn a new trade—say one of the building trades—from the beginning. Or a man with a skilled R.A.F. trade—say a fitter on aero-engines—may want a course which will enable him to apply his skill to a corresponding civilian trade—say a fitter on motor engines. This side of the work is carried on in consultation with the Ministry of Labour. There have been certain difficulties in selecting the trades, and the numbers to be trained for each trade, which have delayed this part of the scheme. But I hope and believe, that these difficulties are now being overcome. We are always careful to state clearly that E.V.T. training can carry with it no guarantee of employment in the particular trade selected.

Finally, the House will recognise that no scheme of this magnitude, which had to be extemporised amidst many other pressing tasks, can be equally effective or efficient in every part of the Service. Some Commands and some Stations have been able to get going more rapidly than others. But I can assure the hon. Member for Oxford (Mr. Hogg)—who, I know, has this scheme very much at heart—that every effort will be made to make it a success. We are determined to see that E.V.T. contributes something to the permanent welfare of hundreds of thousands of airmen and airwomen, in what will be their last few months with the Royal Air Force.

Mr. Hogg

While thanking the hon. Gentleman for the comprehensive statement on this subject which he has just given, may I ask him a question with regard to the difficulties to which he referred in relation to the vocational part of the scheme? Hitherto, as I understand it, the scheme has been limited to four trades—agriculture, building, furniture-making, and retail distribution. Would the hon. Gentleman tell the House to what trades it is now to be extended and whether any, and if so what, restrictions are still to be imposed?

Mr. Strachey

I am glad to be able to say that it has been extended, in agreement with the Ministry of Labour, to a fairly comprehensive list of other trades. As the hon. Member knows, there is a further distinction between the ab initio courses and courses converting a man's skill from a Service trade to a civilian trade, and the list of trades to which it has been extended is different in each case. We have not got all we want on the point, but we have gone a fairly long way, and vocational training on a reasonable scale will now be able to go forward.

Wing-Commander Millington

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the objection to the scheme, even by the 65 per cent, of men and women in the Air Force who have signed on for this scheme, and the lack of confidence they feel in it, is because it is held up in many cases until the last month or so of their Service career; and would not he agree that even if people are in release groups 60 or 70, now is the time to start getting training under the E.V.T. scheme if it is to be of any use to them?

Mr. Strachey

I fully agree with that, and the need for haste is very great, but, as I say, the scheme is only now getting under way. The difficulties have been very great. For example, 1,300,000 books are needed. We have not got them all yet. We have only 700,000.

Mr. Hogg

Would the hon. Gentleman consider putting at the disposal of Members, perhaps in the Library of the House, a full schedule of the trades available to be learned under the vocational part of the scheme?

Mr. Strachey

Certainly. They will be published.

Mr. Kenneth Lindsay

While realising my hon. Friend's interest in this matter, may I ask whether he is aware that three weeks ago, only one training instructor had arrived in Germany in connection with the scheme?

Mr. Strachey

That certainly is not my information, but if the hon. Member will let me have any information he has to substantiate his statement I will look into it.

Squadron-Leader Sir Gilford Fox

Will my hon. Friend say how many of the 200,000 have already started courses owing to being posted for R.A.F. service where similar facilities are available?

Mr. Strachey

There are places where this service is going on, but I could not give the figure.

Mr. York

May I ask the hon. Gentleman to explain why it is necessary to have one compulsory hour a week, and whether it is necessary in those trades where overtime is worked and E.V.T. courses cannot be taken?

Mr. Strachey

Under the Regulation they are allowed to work for six hours per week in Service time. The difficulty, of course, is that some stations are very busy with Transport Command work, while other stations are not so busy, and it is difficult to fit a scheme to the needs of all the different Commands.

Mr. York

That does not answer my question. What I wish to know is whether it is necessary to insist upon one hour's compulsory E.V.T. training in those trades where the member was not allowed to take part in the normal E.V.T. scheme because of the heavy work in those particular trades.

Mr. Strachey

That is not my information, but perhaps the hon. Member will put his facts before me.