§ 25 and 26. Mr. Tilneyasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many medical officers in the Royal Air Force have left in the last year; and what is the annual intake;
(2) how many medical officers in the Royal Army Medical Corps have left in the last year; and what is the annual intake.
§ Mr. ReynoldsIn the 12 months ending 30th September, 1968. 73 medical officers left the Royal Air Force and 37 entered productive service. In the same period, 63 left the Royal Army Medical Corps and 75 entered productive service.
§ Mr. TilneyDo not the two figures, taken together, show an alarming decrease, and is not that decrease due to the emoluments in the medical services being so much less than what these officers can get elsewhere? Should not both medical services be put together in one corps, and well trained people be properly paid?
§ Mr. ReynoldsI do not accept that the figures I have just given are alarming in themselves. Of course, if carried on for any length of time, they would put us in a very unsatisfactory position. As to the conditions of service, the hon. Gentleman will realise that this is precisely the aspect that is at present being looked at by the Prices and Incomes Board, which will in due course publish a report. As for having one medical corps, I would say that whilst there are a lot of common functions which may be operated by one service on behalf of the other, or jointly by the two, there is, at the moment, no proposal to amalgamate the two, and there would be considerable difficulties involved in doing so.
§ Mr. ReynoldsIf asked, I could.