THE EARL OF TANKERVILLEasked His Majesty's Government whether they consider that R.A.F. and W.A.A.F. personnel employed on clerical duties are fairly distributed as between Air Ministry Departments, R.A.F. Commands and R.A.F. stations; and whether in view of the extreme shortage of clerks experienced at some R.A.F. stations (particularly in the north of England), they will take steps to procure a more equitable distribution and will also consider having the trade of "Clerk, general duties" re-opened to W.A.A.F. personnel.
§ LORD SHERWOODR.A.F. and W.A.A.F. clerical personnel are distributed between Commands on a basis which takes account of absolute requirements and operational priority. Within Commands, the Commanders-in-Chief may vary the level of manning to enable units to carry out the programme allotted to them. R.A.F. and W.A A.F. personnel are not normally employed on clerical duties at Air Ministry Headquarters. The number of women which can be allocated to the trade of "Clerk, general duties" is strictly limited by the demands in other trades and the general man-power position of the country. For these and other reasons, any general reopening of recruitment or re-mustering of W.A.A.F. personnel as Clerk, general duties, is impracticable at the present time.
House adjourned.