§ Mr. Hobsonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of airmen and airwomen released from June to 30th November, 1945, in the accounts trades; and the number of new recruits trained in the same period for the same branch of service.
§ Mr. StracheyFrom June to 30th November we released 450 airmen and 1,054 airwomen of the accounting trades. 1,800 new recruits are under training for this trade, and the first 100 completed.the course by the end of November. Besides these recruits we have allocated1484W 2,700 serving airmen and airwomen for accounting work. More than 1,900 of these had already been trained by the end of November. In addition, many other airmen and airwomen have been temporarily helping out on routine duties.
§ Mr, Hobsonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air by what date it is estimated that the accounts branch will be brought into line with other trades for release purposes.
§ Mr. StracheyI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 5th December to the hon. and gallant Member for Lewes (Major Beamish). We shall shortly be publishing a new forecast of releases for February and March.
§ Mr. Carsonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air to what extent the release rate of the cooks' and butchers' trade of the R.A.F. is level with, or lagging behind, the normal release rate.
§ Mr. StracheyThe release of cooks in the R.A.F. is four groups behind most airmen.
§ Mr. Carsonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is now in a position to state whether there is any improvement or worsening in the rate of release in the Accounts Branch of the R.A.F.
§ Mr. StracheyYes, Sir, the accountants are catching up. They were nine, are seven, and will be just over five groups behind in January.