§ Captain Pluggeasked the Secretary of State for Air what steps he proposes to take to remove the present anomalous position whereby an ex-Regular airman, transferred to Reserve and failing to return to the United Kingdom within 12 months from the date of his discharge, has his Reserve pay withheld, although the legal liability to recall remains?
§ Sir K. WoodThe obligation which a regular airman has to undertake on transfer to the Reserve is that he shall be available for Air Force service in imminent national danger or great emergency. In so far as a Reservist resident abroad is not able to fulfil that obligation, and indeed may not be available for a considerable time after the emergency, his Reserve pay is withheld until he is again in a position to do so. The existing regulations take account of these circumstances.