§ Mr. Garry Allighanasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that of 10 accounts clerks on the establishment of 8502 Wing, three are misemployed, having been working in the N.A.A.F.I. for the past six months; and another in one of the squadron stores; none of the remaining clerks can be properly employed more than two hours per day; and that as the R.A.F. Regiment squadrons attached to that wing are on a similar pay accounting system with the work done in each squadron by one tradesman who is not an account clerk, will he give instructions for such misemployment to be immediately ended by reducing the establishment and making more men available for release.
§ Mr. StracheyI am grateful to the hon. Member for drawing my attention to the matter. Most of these clerks were established in 8502 Wing, which is part of the Air Force of Occupation in Germany, to deal with accounting matters relating to the German Air Force. In view of the present volume of this work, instructions have now been given for the establishment to be reduced and for the men to be employed on accounting work where they are urgently needed.
§ Lieut.-Colonel Hareasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he will give 1221W an indication when airmen whose trade is accountancy and who are between the age groups 19–22 can expect to be released in each of these age groups, respectively.
§ Mr. StracheyIt has been announced that clerks accounting in age and service groups 17 to 20 will be released in December and January. It is not yet possible, for reasons which I gave to the House in my statement of 22nd October, to give a firm date for the release of age and service groups 21 and 22.