§ Mr. Nallyasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he will circulate a full statement to explain the rank and status accorded in the R.A.F. to aircrew personnel including those who have been declared redundant.
§ Mr. de FreitasDuring the war the crews of aircraft received the rank of sergeant on completing flying training, with subsequent time promotion after relatively short periods to flight sergeant and warrant officer. These ranks were temporary ranks, and it was made clear in all the instructions issued to the Service that they were liable to be withdrawn at the conclusion of hostilities.
The rapid time promotion to senior non-commissioned rank caused difficulty in relation to senior N.C.Os. in ground trades who are normally older and have had long service, and for this and other reasons it was decided as part of the general review of conditions of service for the postwar force to introduce a new system of aircrew ranks with special provision for advancement by time and special rates of pay. Full particular? are given in paragraphs 41 to 46 of Cmd. 6715 published last December and the introduction of the new system has, I think, been generally accepted in the Service.
On 1st July, all qualified aircrew then employed on flying duties were assimilated to the new aircrew ranks in accordance with their length of service and qualifications, but war service as qualified aircrew was counted as double, and no qualified aircrew were assimilated in ranks lower than Aircrew II, i.e. the rank which for certain regulational purposes and for eligibility for allowances, etc., corresponds to sergeant. On assimilation, aircrew received the rate of pay of the new rank as laid down in Cmd. 6715, but steps were taken to ensure that they should receive in the form of a "war excess" the difference between the pay of the new rank and that in issue previously. They also receive the benefit of the marriage 262W allowance in issue on 30th June, if more favourable. It has also been arranged that war gratuity entitlement should be settled on the basis of the ranks which would have been attained had the existing provision for time promotion continued in being until 15th August, 1946, when service will in any case cease to reckon as qualifying service for war gratuity.
These arrangements apply to men who are now employed on aircrew duties. There are, however, a very large number of aircrew who are now surplus to aircrew requirements and are being employed on ground duties until their release date is reached. It would clearly have been impracticable for them to retain temporary ranks such as warrant officer and flight sergeant after their counterparts, who are still employed on aircrew duties, had been assimilated to the new aircrew ranks. It would, however, have been artificial to assimilate to the new aircrew ranks men who have ceased to be employed on aircrew duties and who will, in general, not return to them before their date of release.
It was therefore decided that, with effect from 1st July, 1946, redundant aircrew would assume in their ground trade the temporary rank or classification for which they are qualified, but that they may retain for a period of 12 months, if it is higher, the ground rank corresponding to the aircrew rank to which they would have been assimilated had they still been employed on aircrew duties. They will also be eligible for a period of 12 months for the pay of their former rank as aircrew on a "war excess" basis. Their war gratuity will be assessed on the same basis as that for aircrew. They will, of course, continue to be eligible to wear the flying badge.
In general, the loss both by officers and other ranks of acting or temporary rank held during a war is a normal and inevitable process when a Service contracts on return to peace conditions and, of course, reflects no discredit on those affected.