§ Mr. BROADasked the Secretary of State for Air under what conditions aircraft apprentices and ex-aircraft apprentices are permitted to purchase their discharge at the present time?
§ Sir S. HOAREApprentices, in common with other recruits, have the right to claim their discharge within three months of their enlistment on payment 1137W of £20. If they do not claim discharge within that period, they can only obtain it on very strong compassionate grounds, and the same rule applies to ex-apprentices who have not completed two years' service after leaving the training school. Ex-apprentices who have completed their two years since leaving school may be permitted, if it is possible without detriment to the service, to purchase their discharge by paying £100, reducible in certain cases at the discretion of the Air Council. These rules are necessary owing to the heavy expense of training apprentices.