§ 14. Mr. John Grimstonasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what representations he has received from the airways corporations or the charter companies that the requirements for the new first-class civil R/T and W/T licence are so strict that difficulty is being experienced in engaging sufficient men with this qualification to meet all demands.
§ Mr. BeswickI have received no representations in the sense indicated. I should perhaps add that a small number of radio operators were recently granted a short extension of their old type licences to enable them to complete their examinations for the new licence.
§ Mr. GrimstonWill the Minister re-examine the qualifications required for the new licence? My information is that only about one-third of the number of radio operators who held the previous licence have been able to qualify for the new one.
§ Mr. BeswickI was looking at the qualifications this morning. If the hon. Gentleman, who has some experience in 1933 these matters, can tell me which of the requirements he thinks is unnecessarily high I shall be glad to look into the matter again.