§ 4. Lieut.-Colonel Hydeasked the Minister of Civil Aviation how far the estimates in Appendix E of the Wilcock Report, 1949, Command Paper No. 7746, on the recruitment, training and licensing of personnel for civil aviation have been borne out by subsequent events, and in particular how many aircraft maintenance engineers are employed in an operative or hourly rated capacity; how many of these have served an indentured apprenticeship in the aircraft engineering industry; and how many have served an indentured apprenticeship in any associated industry.
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydIn general, the estimates in Appendix E of the Wilcock Report proved to be considerably in excess of the numbers actually employed. I am informed that there are about 3,600 licensed aircraft maintenance engineers of whom about 90 per cent. are employed in an operative or hourly rated capacity; 730 have served apprenticeships in the aircraft engineering industry and 535 in associated industries.
§ Lieut-Colonel HydeIs my right hon. Friend aware that British European Airways have recently dismissed an engineer on the grounds that he had no indentures of apprenticeship, despite the fact that he holds a current licence issued by the 195 Ministry which enables him to certify 75 per cent. of all the aircraft registered in the United Kingdom, and despite the possession by him of 14 years' practical aircraft engineering experience? What does my right hon. Friend propose to do about it?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydI will follow up that individual case with the employers in the Corporation concerned.