HC Deb 01 July 1959 vol 608 c462
43. Mr. de Freitas

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will make a statement on the recruitment of General Duties and other officers.

Mr. Neave

Recruitment to the General Duties branch has improved during the last few months but more candidates are still needed. In most of the ground branches recruitment is reasonably satisfactory. We need, however, to increase entries into the Education, Secretarial and Dental branches, and into the R.A.F. Regiment. We also need many more W.R.A.F. officers.

Mr. de Freitas

Is not a great deal of the shortage of aircrew recruits due to the statements made by the Minister of Defence, which were responsible for parents and schoolmasters believing that there was no longer a flying career in the Royal Air Force? What is the Air Council doing to correct this impression?

Mr. Neave

We are studying the problem the whole time and we have recently strengthened our publicity organisation. What we need more than anything else is to get over to young men who wish to fly the excellent prospects and many attractions which a Service career has to offer.

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