HC Deb 30 May 1956 vol 553 cc209-10
1. Mr. de Freitas

asked the Secretary of State for Air what proportion of the officers in the technical, general duties and other branches, respectively, have university degrees in engineering or generally accepted professional equivalents.

The Secretary of State for Air (Mr. Nigel Birch)

The proportion, including National Service officers, is 10 per cent. in the technical branch, 7 per cent. in the education branch and 83 per cent. in the airfield construction branch. No central record is kept of the number of officers in other branches who possess these qualifications.

Mr. de Freitas

However one looks at these figures—and they are difficult at first sight—is the proportion not very low indeed for the technical branch? In view of this fact, what is the Secretary of State going to do to increase the proportion?

Mr. Birch

I quite agree that the Royal Air Force is becoming an increasingly technical service. It was for that reason that my predecessor instituted the technical cadet scheme, and I am glad to say that it is now going very well. I gave some account of it in the debate on the Air Estimates.