HC Deb 28 January 1959 vol 598 cc1048-9
18. Mr. Mellish

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many officers of the rank of squadron leader and above are on the staff of the Ground Officers Selection Centre at Uxbridge; what are their ages; and for how long they have held their existing ranks, acting, temporary or substantive.

Mr. Ward

As the Answer is in the form of a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Mellish

May we have an assurance that the officers at this centre, a very important place, are the very finest possible men for this job and that they have not been selected merely because they are of an age when they could not get anything else to do?

Mr. Ward

I appreciate the spirit behind the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question. I am quite satisfied that

— Branch Age Seniority
1 Group Captain … … … General Duties 47 January, 1954
3 Wing Commanders … … … General Duties 46 October, 1946
Secretarial 43 January, 1953
Secretarial 44 January, 1954
13 Squadron Leaders … … … General Duties 39 July, 1951
General Duties 38 July, 1956
General Duties 39 July, 1957
General Duties 44 July, 1954 (supernumerary)
Secretarial 46 July, 1948
Secretarial 38 January, 1956
Technical 46 January, 1954
Technical 44 July, 1954
Technical 44 July, 1954
Equipment 50 July, 1954
Education 44 July, 1951
Education 42 November, 1951
Education 37 February, 1955

Note.—In each instance the rank held is substantive.