§ Mr. RENDALLasked the Undersecretary of State to the Air Ministry if he is aware that two lady shorthand writers were engaged at the Royal Air Force, Ripon depot, in January last, and that, after training in exceedingly technical work, they were informed, about five or six weeks after being engaged, that unless they joined the Women's Royal Air Force they would be discharged; whether, after consideration, they informed their officer, Second-Lieutenant Barton, that they would join the Women's Royal Air Force, but heard nothing more until, the last Friday or Saturday in March, without any previous warning, they received a week's notice to go; whether thereupon two other ladies were engaged, one of whom had no previous knowledge of office work and both of them required considerable training to make them efficient; what reasons caused this change; and will he insist on an impartial inquiry into the chief section leader's conduct, he being responsible indirectly for the dismissals?
§ Major-General SEELYI have not yet been able to trace the incident referred to, but further inquiries are being made both by the Air Ministry and the War Office, as the depot at Ripon is administered by that Department. The result of the inquiries will be communicated to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.